Shuri Castle
History
The castle was originally founded somewhere in the 13-14th centuries. It was modified and expanded several times coming into its hieght of power during as a palace and fortress for the Ryukyu kings who established the unified Ryukyu kingdom in 1429. These kings ruled for abour 400 years until the Meiji government ousted the king in 1879 and established the prefecture of Okinawa. From 1609 the kingdom was under the control of the Satsuma clan and thereby the Tokugawa Shogunate but they kept some freedom regarding their relationships with China.
Obviously Shuri Castle was neither influenced by the same factors as typical mainland castles nor does it have many of the same structures or types of architecture. The castle and other related sites in the area were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
Visit Notes
not personally visited, all the pictures were donated by readers. I would love to visit this and some of the other castles of Okinawa someday.
Gallery
Castle Profile | |
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English Name | Shuri Castle |
Japanese Name | 首里城 |
Founder | |
Year Founded | 13-14 Century |
Castle Type | Hilltop |
Castle Condition | Reconstructed main keep |
Designations | Top 100 Castles, UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Historic Site |
Historical Period | Edo Period |
Main Keep Structure | 2 levels, 2 stories |
Year Reconstructed | 1992 (wood, concrete) |
Features | gates, palace, stone walls |
Visitor Information | |
Access | Bus |
Visitor Information | |
Time Required | |
Website | http://www.shurijo.com/ |
Location | Naha, Okinawa Prefecture |
Coordinates | 26° 13' 1.27" N, 127° 43' 9.41" E |
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Admin | |
Added to Jcastle | 2006 |
Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
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