Category: Castle in Okinawa
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Zakimi Castle Ruins
The Zakimi Castle Ruins is one of the Ryukyu World Heritage Sites. It seems that it was once used as a signal station for the US military. It is a small but beautiful castle with curving walls. About Zakimi Castle in Okinawa Zakimi Castle is located in Yomitan Village, Okinawa. The castle, which was built during…
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Katsuren Castle
A Glimpse into the Ryukyu Kingdom’s Glory Perched atop a hill on the Katsuren Peninsula’s eastern coast in central Okinawa, Katsuren Castle stands as a testament to the grandeur of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Built in the 15th century, this sky castle, with its imposing ramparts clinging to rugged cliffs, was inscribed as a UNESCO World…
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Okinawa Shurijo Castle Shureimon
The famous Shureimon gate was the main gate of Shurijo Castle, and was used on the 2,000 yen note. It came to be called Shureimon because the word “守禮之邦 (守礼之邦)” is written on the plaque (the plaque on the top of the gate). It is said to have been built by King Shosei (reigned 1527-1555). It is said…
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Okinawa’s World Heritage Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
I was ashamed to say that I didn’t know that there was a medieval castle with stone walls in Okinawa until it was registered as a World Heritage Site. The fact that there was a time when multiple dynasties fought for supremacy in Okinawa is somehow different from the image of a peaceful southern island. Had it…
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Shurijo Castle Ruins and its surroundings
Shuri is the capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The castle of Nakayama Province was built on this land during the Sanzan period when Ryukyu was divided into three, and it became the capital in 1429 when Ryukyu was unified. Shuri was the political and cultural center of Ryukyu until 1879, when the abolition of feudal domains and…
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World Heritage Sites in Okinawa: Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu
“Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” is the official name of the World Heritage sites in Okinawa. It was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2000. The ruins of Shuri Castle, Tamaudun, Sonohyan Utaki Stone Gate, Shikinaen Garden, Sefa Utaki, Nakijin Castle Ruins, Zakimi Castle Ruins, Katsuren Castle Ruins, and Nakagusuku…