Okinawa, Japan 20: Shuri Castle
Written & Directed by James Knott

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Shuri Castle - or Shuri-jo - is the largest castle in Okinawa. It was once the center of the Ryukyu kingdom and has been reconstructed to its original grandeur. Catch a glimpse inside the castle walls and learn about the history of this great monument.

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 20: Shuri Castle

SHURI-JO STANDS HIGH ABOVE NAHA AS A SYMBOL OF THE PROUD PAST AND RESILIENCE OF THE OKINAWAN PEOPLE. THIS CASTLE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES, BUT THE MAIN HALL WAS BURNED AND REBUILT FOUR TIMES BEFORE BEING DESTROYED IN WW2.

THE MAMMOTH STONE WALLS AND ORNATE WOODEN GATES HAVE BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY REBUILT FROM OLD DRAWINGS AND PHOTOS AND TODAY YOU CAN GET A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THE CASTLE WAS ORIGINALLY LIKE.

JUST BEING HERE HAS MADE THIS MAN HUNGRY FOR MORE CASTLE KNOWLEDGE – OR IS HE PREGNANT? I CAN’T TELL. ANYWAYS…

THIS IS THE LARGEST CASTLE IN OKINAWA AND IT WAS THE CENTER OF THE RYUKYU GOVERNMENT FROM 1429 TO 1879 WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TOOK CONTROL OF THE RYUKYU ISLANDS AND RENAMED THEM OKINAWA.

THE DISTINCT ARCHITECTURE GIVES CLUES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS. THE DRAGONS ON THE ROOF OF THE CASTLE ARE ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW CHINA WAS A MUCH BIGGER INFLUENCE ON OKINAWA THAN JAPAN.

MOST OF THE CASTLE GROUNDS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC AND YOU ONLY NEED TO PAY TO GO INTO THE MAIN HALL AND COURTYARD.

THERE IS A PEACEFUL GARDEN TO WALK THROUGH - CALLED THE KYONO UCHI – WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE MOST SACRED PLACE ON THE CASTLE GROUNDS.

SHURI SITS SITS ON HIGH GROUND AND CAN GET SOME GREAT VIEWS OF NAHA FROM ATOP THE CASTLE WALLS.

THIS BUILDING CONTAINS A STAGE WHERE YOU CAN VIEW TRADITIONAL DANCES THAT WERE ONCE PERFORMED FOR THE ROYAL COURT.

OUTSIDE THE CASTLE WALLS THERE ARE OTHER IMPORTANT SITES SUCH AS THE SHUREI-MON GATE, THE STONE GATE OF SONOHYAN UTAKI AND THE BEZAITENDO SHRINE – WHICH FEATURES THE WORLD’S SADDEST SECURITY OFFICER.

SHURI CASTLE IS ONE OF THE MOST VISITED PLACES IN OKINAWA AND I RECOMMEND YOU HEAD THERE IN YOUR TRAVELS. IT IS BOTH AN IMPRESSIVE SITE TO SEE AND A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE LONG, PROUD HISTORY OF OKINAWA.