Okinawa, Japan 7: Nakijin Castle and Village
Written & Directed by James Knott

If you do not see a video box here, then this video can be seen on YouTube.

Nakijin is the off the beaten path. This video explores the backroads of this rural community. James stumbles on a cool moth that is beautifully camoflaged. Take a moment to notice how loud the cicadas are in the background. Then, we head to Nakijin Castle (Nakijin-Jo) to learn about the history of these centuries-old ruins.

OKINAWA, JAPAN

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture. Over 1.25 million people are scattered across nearly 150 islands.

Okinawa has a unique culture that goes back several hundred years to when it was an independent country known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. This kingdom was known to trade frequently with China and as a result adopted much more from the Chinese than the rest of Japan.

The main island, Okinawa-honto, is surrounded by vivid, bright blue ocean and coral reefs. It is densely populated and urbanized in the south, while the the mountainous northern part of the island consists of just a few fishing villages and dense forests.

The beautiful, sub-tropical setting combined with historical roots that are more intertwined with China than Japan, have created a wonderful culture that is distinctly Okinawan.

TRANSCRIPT
Okinawa, Japan 7: Nakijin Castle and Village

The town where Haru and Tsuneko live is located on the northeastern corner of the Motobu peninsula.  About 10,000 people live in Nakijin village.  It is a rural area with many small farms. 

The unhurried pace of local life allows you to slow down and appreciate the little things.

I take my time walking around nakijin and enjoy seeing the agriculture, the hidden houses, the rustic backroads, the lush plants, and the thriving animals.

This unusual butterfly would be well camoflaged if it would just sit still.

the din of cicadas is loud, but so persistant that your ears can’t help but ignore it.

the most important historical site in the village is nakijin-jo.  The tattered remains of this huge castle sit high above the ocean.  The jagged rocks of it’s mammoth walls come together to form an impenatrable fortress.

archeaologists are still studying the site, but a lot is known about the history of nakijin-jo.

its construction began in the 14th century as a castle for the hokuzan kingdom. it was used by the government of the ryukyu kingdom  for hundreds of years before the japanese took control of Okinawa. 

There are several alters used for worship scattered around the castle grounds.   it was well preserved for many years, but some of the walls and gates had to be rebuilt after being damaged in World war 2.

Nakijin-jo is also one of several places where Japanese women ask to have their picture taken with me.  I’d like to think it’s because I’m a stud, but really it’s because I’m a Gaijin – which means foreigner in Japanese.

nakijin is my home away from home in okinawa, but there are still plenty of places to explore.  I even drag Haru-san and Tsuneko-oba to someplace they’ve never been – the jungles of Okinawa’s highest point – yonaha-dake.