Category: World Heritage 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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Sefa Utaki
One of the places I wanted to visit the most in Okinawa was Sefa Utaki. It is a traditional sacred place in Okinawa, and at the same time, it is a place designated as a World Heritage Site. It has a deep connection with the royal family of the Ryukyu Kingdom. A Journey Through the Sacred Site…
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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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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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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…
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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…