Nakagusuku Castle Ruins

Built in the mid-14th Century A.D., Nakagusuku Castle was the launching point of the Ryukyu King's assault on nearby Katsuren Castle.  In 1853, long after Okinawa had lost its independence, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry landed on Okinawa and conducted a survey of Nakagusuku Castle.  Since then, the castle has hosted a primary school and the Nakagusuku Village Office, both of which were destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.  Restoration efforts began in 1948 and continue today.