(Click on the photos below to see more of each castle)
Okinawa (Ryukyu) Castles
You might assume such a small island wouldn’t host many castles … you’d be wrong!
1) Nakijin Castle Ruins
Nakijin Castle was built sometime in the 14th Century A.D. on Okinawa’s Motobu Peninsula. This picturesque, expansive fortification bore witness to the Japanese invasion of 1609 when the Shimazu Clan of southern Kyushu invaded the Kingdom of Ryukyu, ending its long independence. It is unclear whether or not a battle took place as a result of the Japanese landing, but it seems likely given all the events which followed.
2) Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle was originally built in the 14th Century A.D. and was the seat of the consolidated Kingdom of Ryukyu until the Shimazu invasion of 1609. Shuri Castle was the backdrop of the climactic end of the Japanese invasion and its fall heralded the end of Ryukyu independence. As well, Shuri Castle was the scene of brutal fighting during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, leaving the former royal seat a complete ruin. The castle was rebuilt between 1958 and 1992 and is the only non-ruin castle site to be found in Okinawa. Sadly, an electrical fire broke out on the castle grounds in 2019 and much of the structure—to say nothing of the many relics within—was ruined. Reconstruction efforts are ongoing.
3) Katsuren Castle Ruins
Katsuren Castle was built sometime in the 13th to 14th Century A.D. and physically lies within visual sight of another castle, Nakagusuku a short distance to the south. This proximity highlights the close quarters within which the three Okinawan kingdoms fought one another for dominance of the island chain. Archaeological digs on the site have uncovered both Roman and Ottoman coins, highlighting as well Ryukyu’s central place in the regional trade network.
4) Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
Constructed around 1440 A.D., Nakagusuku lies within sight of Katsuren Castle to the north. It occupies a dominant position on the ridgeline high above the coast far below. The island and ocean scenery visible from this vista is incredible! U.S. Navy Commodore Matthew Perry visited Nakagusuku Castle in 1853 between his two visits to Tokyo Bay.
5) Zakimi Castle Ruins
Diminutive Zakimi Castle was constructed between 1416 and 1422 A.D. It contains the first stone arches in Okinawa’s long history. The site was used as a gun emplacement by Imperial Japanese forces during World War II, and as a radar site by the U.S. after the war.
6) Urasoe Castle Ruins & “Hacksaw Ridge” Battlefield
Built in the late 13th Century A.D., Urasoe Castle has a long and distinguished history. The castle was taken and burned by invading Japanese troops in 1609. The site, perched high above the western beaches on the Maeda Escarpment, made it an ideal defensive position for Imperial Japanese forces during the Battle for Okinawa in 1945. The ridge became known as “Hacksaw Ridge” for the difficult fighting there. Desmond Ross earned his Medal of Honor there, the inspiration for the 2016 film “Hacksaw Ridge.” More than with the other Ryukyu castles a visitor must use his/her imagination at Urasoe as the ravages of two wars and the harsh elements have reduced much of its former grandeur. Still . . .
