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Hikone Castle is ready for New Year’s celebrations after an annual event cleaned up the national treasure that dates back to the 17th century, shot on December 15, 2015 in Hikone, Japan.Thirty employees of the city government’s section managing the upkeep of the castle cleared the dust from the eaves and roof tiles of the 21-meter-high, three-story tower keep. They used brooms and other tools made from palm leaves or bamboo. Using safety tethers, they ensured that each tile and piece remained in the proper position. Hikone Castle was completed in 1622. This year marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ii Naosuke (1815-1860), a chief minister of the Tokugawa Shogunate based in the castle who decided to open up Japan to the West. As of Dec. 14, 763,282 people had visited the castle this year, up 40,000 from the same period a year earlier.