Nakijin Castle Ruins

Nakijin was the seat of the Hokuzan kingdom, one of three that divided Okinawa before unification in the fifteenth century, and it fell in 1416. What remains is the wall: about 1,500 metres of dry-laid coral limestone running along a ridge in long curves rather than the straight lines and angles of Japanese castle stonework, following the ground - a gusuku, the Okinawan form, and part of the UNESCO Ryukyu inscription. The stone is pale and the joints are close. There are no buildings; the interior is grass terraces with excavated foundations marked. The view runs to the East China Sea. Cherry trees line the approach stair and along the walls, and because these are kanhizakura, a deep pink southern variety, they flower in the second half of January - the earliest blossom in Japan, and the site is lit at night through the festival.

History

The origins of the castle are uncertain: legend credits one Nakijin Seshu with building it long before the legendary Shunten dynasty, its sacred utaki groves show it was a religious centre before it was fortified, and the gusuku itself is thought to have taken shape when the Hokuzan kingdom was founded. In the late 14th century Okinawa was divided between Nanzan in the south, Chūzan in the centre and Hokuzan in the north, with Nakijin as Hokuzan's capital and the seat of its king, until Shō Hashi of Chūzan overthrew the kingdom in 1416 and the post of Hokuzan Kanshu was set up to govern it. In 1609 the Satsuma domain invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom, landing at Unten harbour, Hokuzan's old port. The castle has been a National Historic Site since 1972 and in November 2000 became part of the Gusuku Sites of the Kingdom of Ryukyu World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Nakijin Castle).

The main sights

• 1,500 metres of curving wall - dry-laid coral limestone following the ridge line.
• A gusuku, not a castle - the Okinawan form, with no buildings and grass terraces inside.
• January cherry - deep pink kanhizakura, the earliest blossom in Japan.
• The Hokuzan seat - a kingdom capital that fell in 1416.

When to go

Late January to early February for the blossom festival. Two hours.

Before you go

There is nothing standing but walls - visitors expecting a castle building will be disappointed. The site is exposed with little shade. The approach involves a long stone stair. Blossom festival evenings are crowded and parking fills.

Nearby

Churaumi Aquarium is west on the Motobu peninsula; Kouri Island is north-east.

Key facts