Category: Ruins in Okinawa
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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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Tamaudun in Shuri, Okinawa
Tamaudun is located near the ruins of Shuri Castle, a short walk from the Shureimon Gate, and is a mausoleum of successive generations of the Ryukyu royal family nestled in greenery. It was built in 1501 by King Sho Shin of the Ryukyus (reigned 1477-1526) to rebury the remains of his father, King Sho En, from…
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Sonohyan Utaki Stone Gate of Shurijo Castle, Okinawa
Sonohyan Utaki Ishimon is a stone gate located near Shureimon after exiting the castle gate of Shurijo Castle. It is a rustic gate that you will not notice anything if you pass it, but it is designated as one of the World Heritage Sites. Utaki is a place of worship in Ryukyu, and there is a place…
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Enkakuji Temple Ruins and Benzaitendo in Shuri
I drove to Shuri Castle from Kokusai Street in Naha where I stayed. Enter Shuri according to the car navigation system and look for a parking lot from the Shurijo Castle Park Management Center, but no parking lot is full. When I had no choice but to go around Shurijo Castle, I found a small parking lot…
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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…