Shuri Castle

Shuri Castle

Introduction

Shuri Castle was originally built between the late 13th century and early 14th century and served as the political and power center of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Its layout was modeled after the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing dynasties from the same period, which is a testament to the close relationship between the Ryukyu Kingdom and China. The place where the king worked was the “Seiden” (Main Hall), the largest wooden structure in the Ryukyu Kingdom, characterized by a red color scheme. It is a distinctive architectural work that incorporates cultural elements from both China and Japan, featuring exquisite and diverse decorations and carvings. The “Hokuden” (North Hall) was used to receive envoys sent by China for royal investiture ceremonies, while the “Nanden” (South Hall) hosted performers from the Satsuma Domain. Shuri Castle has suffered four fires throughout its history and was even destroyed by U.S. forces during World War II. Later, it was painstakingly rebuilt by the people of Okinawa and reopened to the public in 1992 as an exhibition site for Ryukyu culture. In December 2000, it was successfully inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Okinawa, Japan