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After a good breakfast, we then checked out from the hotel and took its shuttle bus departing at 0830 hours to the airport. Upon arrived at the airport, we then walked to the 'Naha Airport Station' (那覇空港駅). Bought a Yui Rail Day Pass at JPY 700 in the station, followed by taking the monorail at about 9.30 am to 'Makishi Station' (牧志駅).
Deposited our luggage at the Hotel Ocean and then took monorail again to 'Shuri Station' (首里駅). It took us about 15-mins to walk to the Shuri Castle Park from the station.
Shuri Castle (首里城)
Shuri Castle, or Shuri-jo in Japanese, is the excellent evidence to the splendor of the Ryukyu Kingdom (琉球國). Constructed around the 14th century, this Castle "proudly served as the heart of the politics, foreign diplomacy and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom".
Most of the buildings were destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 but the central citadel and walls were largely reconstructed on its original site in 1992. The site was then opened to the public as Shuri Castle Park divided into 'Paid Admission Areas' and 'Admission Free Areas'. Only the buildings around the Una, known as State Court area, are 'Paid Areas' while the rest of the structures and gates in the park are 'Free Areas' (photo below).
Brief History of Ryukyu Kingdom
- Between 1429 to 1879, Ryukyu Kingdom was ruled as a tributary state of the Imperial Ming and Qing Dynasties of China by the Ryukyuan monarchy. The kingdom played a central role in the maritime trade networks of medieval East Asia and Southeast Asia. In 1879, the Ryukyu Kingdom was formally annexed and dissolved by Japan to form Okinawa Prefecture.
Shureimon (守禮門)
- Shureimon was the first gate we encountered. Built in the 16th century, the gate is similar to the Chinese three-bay turret gate and is covered with a red tiled hip roof. The main columns are 7.94-meters apart and the top layer is 7.05-meters high. The original gate was destroyed in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa and was reconstructed in 1958 (left photo below).
The gate was framed with a plaque that wrote '守禮之邦' which literally means 'Country that observes Etiquette' (right photo below). Originally the plaque was written as '首里' (Shuri), but because the investiture edict from Ming Emperor Wanli (萬曆) in 1579 contained the words: "惟尔琉球国，远处海滨，恪遵声教，世修职贡，足称守礼之邦" (Only the Ryukyu Kingdom, Faraway on the seashore, Adheres to prestige and education, Cultivates and pays tribute for generations, Can be called a country that observes etiquette), the plaque was subsequently changed.
To commemorate the 26th G8 summit held in Okinawa in 2000, the Bank of Japan issued a ¥2,000 yen note with a picture of the reconstructed Shureimon (photo below). Circulated only in Okinawa, this note has become a prized item by collectors.
| ✍ Update: |
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| It was reported in 2019 that this ¥2,000 yen note will not continue to be printed. |
Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate (園比屋武御嶽石門)
- Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon is a stone gate outside a sacred forest of traditional indigenous Ryukyuan religion. Built in 1519, it was used as a prayer spot by the king to pray for safe journey when he left the castle. It was also the location of the inauguration ceremony to appoint a new high priestess.
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Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate, along with other Gusuku sites and related properties of Ryukyu Kingdom, are listed as UNSECO World Heritage Site in 2000. |
- The Kankaimon is the front gate of the outer wall of Shuri Castle. Built around 1477 to 1500, this gate was burned down in 1945 but restored in 1974 (left photo below). 'Kankai' (歓会) means 'welcome' and the gate was named to express welcome to the investiture envoys who visited Shuri as representatives of the Chinese Emperor. The gate is guarded by two Shisa statues on both sides to keep devils away (right photo below).
Zuisenmon (瑞泉門)
- Zuisenmon literally means 'splendid and auspicious spring gate'. Built around 1470, the gate takes its name from the Ryuhi spring in front of it (left photo below).
Ryuhi (龍樋)
- Ryuhi is a man-made pond in front of Zuisenmon with a dragon headed spout (right photo below). This spring provided precious drinking water for the royal family.
- Roukokumon was a gate named for the water clock in the gate's turret as 'Roukoku' means 'water clock' (left photo below). Built around the 15th century, a water tank was positioned in the turret atop the gate and the volume of dripping water was used to measure time. Together with the sundial located in the square behind the gate, time was announced through the strike of a drum. Roukokumon was removed in the early Showa period due to its deterioration but was restored in 1992.
Castle Walls
- Shuri Castle is separated into inner and outer enclosures, constructed to make the most of the topography (right photo below). The castle walls are made from interlocking blocks of coral limestone, stretching a total length of 1,080-meters. The walls measure between 6 to 15-meters high and approximately 3-meters wide.
- Restored based on old pictures and records, the exact function of Tomoya is unknown (left photo below).
Bridge of Nations Bell (萬國津梁之鐘)
- The 'Bridge of Nations Bell' is famous for its inscription that emphasized the spirit of trade and friendship upon which the prosperity of the Ryukyu Kingdom was based. Cast in 1458, the bell is 154.9-cm high with an opening of 93.1-cm in diameter and weights 721-kg. Originally hung in the main hall of Shuri castle, it was blackened and damaged during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but miraculously survived largely intact. The original bell is now displayed in the Okinawa Prefecture Museum, and a replica of it now hangs in the Tomoya (right photo below).
View of Naha City
- View of the Castle precincts as well as the city of Naha could be seen from the platform after the Roukokumon.
- In the Ryukyu Kingdom, the sundial marked the high noon as well as hours before and after noon (left photo below), while the water clock was used to tell the more precise time. Destroyed in 1945, the sundial was restored to its original condition in 2000. Interestingly the time reported by the sundial is 30-mins behind the Japan Standard Time (JST).
Koufukumon (廣福門)
- Koufukumon literally means 'Gate to spread good fortune' (right photo below) and it is the entrance into a lower courtyard known as Shicha-un-una (下之御庭). Historically, the eastern wing of the building housed the Okumiza managing the official registry records. The west wing housed the Jishaza managing the temples. This building currently houses the ticket office.
- Tickets to Shuri Castle can be purchased from this office (left photo below). We got group ticket at JPY 660 instead of the usual JPY 820 as we showed our Yui Rail Day Pass (right photo below).
Opening hours of the Castle differ based on the month. Do note last entry is 30-mins before closure time.
| Months | Admission Free Area | Paid Admission Area (Last Entry) |
|---|---|---|
Suimui-utaki (首里森御嶽)
- Suimui-utaki is a walled worship space in the Shicha-nu-una courtyard. According to Ryukyuan mythology, Suimui-utaki is a sacred site created by the hands of god, and thus is the worshipping grounds of highest status in Shuri Castle. Inside the stone hedges are Banyan and Kurotsugu trees. This site was restored in 1997 (left photo below).
Houshinmon (奉神門)
- Houshinmon literally means 'Gate to worship gods' and the last gate to enter the courtyard where the main hall of Shuri Castle is located (right photo below). Of the three entryways, the central entrance was used only by the King, and people of high ranks such as the Chinese investiture envoys. Houshinmon was restored in 1992.
Seiden Main Hall (正殿)
- Also known as State Palace, the Seiden is situated to the east of the Una courtyard (御庭) facing west towards China. Seiden is the largest building in the Shuri Castle (photo below). It has a front area of 29-meters and a width of 17-meters. The main ridge is 16-meters high and the pillars have 40-cm in diameter. Strong Chinese influence is clear in the brilliant colors and dragon motifs, while Japanese influence is in the structure and the bargeboard roof. The building thus includes the distinctive features of Ryukyuan architecture.
- Great Dragon Pillars
Most prominent motif is a pair of standing dragons in the form of pillars in front of Seiden. Standing at 3.1-meters tall, these pillars were carved out of fine sandstone from Yonaguni Island. The close-mouth is 'ungyou' (left photo below) while the open-mouth is 'agyou' (right photo below).
- Dragonhead Ornaments
The roof is decorated with three dragon heads of glazed pottery, one on top of the bargeboard (left photo below) and the other pair on the corners of the roof ridge (right photo below).
- Dragon Wood Carvings
Diverse formats of wood carvings can be found on the Seiden, including the bas-relief on the tympanum (left photo below) and the openwork above the pillars next to the front door (right photo below). Do note that the dragons are four-clawed compared to the five-clawed dragons used soley by the Chinese emperors.
- First Floor
The first floor of the main hall called "Shichagui" (下庫理) is where the King conducted state affairs and official ceremonies. Sitting directly in the centre of the large room is an elevated, yet simple throne where the king would sit with spaces on both his left and right reserved for his children and grandchildren (left photo below). Directly behind the throne is a pair of sliding doors that lead to a staircase used only by the king to reach the throne room on the second floor. - Second Floor
The second floor of the main hall called "Ufugui" (大庫理) is the place for the throne room as well as spaces for the King, his relatives and female retainers performed more private ceremonies. The throne room or "Usasuka" (御差床) is the most ornate area of the entire palace and spectacular in design. Next to the throne are two golden dragons facing each other (right photo below).
Flanking the throne were three beautiful reproductions of Chinese-style plaques bestowed by the Qing Emperors. The plaque directly above the throne is "中山世土" written by Emperor Kangxi conveying the hopes that "Ryukyu King (中山) would forever rule over the State of Ryukyu" (left photo below). On the left is the plaque "辑瑞球陽" written by Emperor Yongzheng wishes "happiness for the Ryukyu Kingdom" while on the right is the plaque "永祚瀛壖" written by Emperor Qianlong conveying that "Ryukyu Kingdom across the ocean is forever blessed" (right photo below).
From the imperial records of Qing Dynasty, there were nine plaques bestrowed by the Qing Emperors to the Ryukyu Kingdom, and among them only three remained.Written Words Bestowed By Bestowed To Year Bestowed 中山世土 Emperor Kangxi King Shō Tei (尚贞王) 1683 (康熙二十二年) 辑瑞球陽 Emperor Yongzheng King Shō Kei (尚敬王) 1723 (雍正元年) 永祚瀛壖 Emperor Qianlong King Shō Kei (尚敬王) 1737 (乾隆二年) 海邦济美 Emperor Qianlong King Shō Boku (尚穆王) 1784 (乾隆四十九年) 海表恭藩 Emperor Jiaqing King Shō On (尚温王) 1800 (嘉庆五年) 屏翰东南 Emperor Daoguang King Shō Kō (尚灏王) 1822 (道光二年) 弼服海隅 Emperor Daoguang King Shō Iku (尚育王) 1837 (道光十七年) 同文式化 Emperor Xianfeng King Shō Tai (尚泰王) 1852 (咸丰二年) 瀛峤屏藩 Emperor Tongzhi King Shō Tai (尚泰王) 1865 (同治四年) - Third Floor
The third floor is just an attic under the roof designed for ventilation. - Site of the Ancient Foundations
The Seiden building was destroyed by fire several times over the centuries and rebuilt each time on the same location. What remains of the stone foundations that were built from the 15th through the 17th centuries indicates its progressive enlargement as well as increasingly sophisticated stone-working techniques.
During the planning for the reconstruction, a decision was made to leave these archaeological sites undisturbed and to render them visible. The restored Seiden was built atop a new concrete foundation that raised 68-cm above the original level, and a glass floor was installed for viewing the old foundations (photos below).
It is the ruins of the Shuri Castle where the remnants of the building foundations that are not destroyed and existed before 1945 are officially registered as World Heritage Sites. The reconstructed Seiden building in 1997 however, is not part of the heritage list.
Ruins of Shuri Castle site, along with other Gusuku sites and related properties, are listed as UNSECO World Heritage Site in 2000.
- Ryukyu national seal bestowed by Qing Emperor in the 17th century written in Chinese and Manchurian characters (left photo below). Seal of the Ryukyu King bestowed by Emperor Qianlong in 1756 (right photo below). Both seals are replicas and the actual ones were gone missing since the collapse of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Model at scale of 1:25 depicts the ceremony of "Chou-hai-o-ki-shiki" (朝拜御規式) held by the Shuri Royal Court on the morning of New Year's Day (photos below).
Another model at scale of 1:25 depicts the investiture ceremony of "Sappou-Gishiki" (冊封儀式) where the Chinese Emperor appointed the Ryukyuan King (photos below). A herald would then read out the Chinese Emperor's words: "I hereby make you the King of the Ryukyus".
A replica of the Red Ceremonial Parasol used during the King's Precession could be seen (left photo below). This ceremonial parasol was a symbol of distinguishing official positions and status, and only the king can use red during the period of Ryukyu Kingdom. A wooden model in a scale of 1:10 of the Seiden was constructed and exhibited to demonstrate the complexity of this spectacular building (right photo below).
Shukujunmon (淑順門)
- Shukujunmon is a citadel gate located north of the Seiden leading to the Ouchibara (御内原) where it is the residential area of the citadel forbidden to men (left photo below). It is unknown when this gate was built but it was restored in 2010.
Benzaitendo (弁財天堂) and Enkanchi (円鑑池)
- The pond in front of Enkaku-ji (円覚寺) is called Enkanchi, and the structure in the middle of the pond with red roof tiles is Benzaitendo enshrined the goddess Benzaiten, a deity that watched over safe voyages at sea (right photo below). Both the Benzaitendo and Enkanchi were destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa but were restored in 1968.
- Saw this interesting stamp rally activity at the visitor's centre, thus decided to accept the challenge. Stamp booths were located next to the indicated gates and buildings throughout the castle ground (left photo below). However we did not managed to get all the stamps but it was a good walking guide to tell visitors what to explore one checkpoint after another (right photo below).
| ✍ Update: |
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| On 31 Oct 2019, a large fire broke out at Shuri Castle and destroyed nine structures, including its Seiden main hall. Reconstruction of Shuri Castle's Seiden to begin in 2022 with the goal of completion by 2026. |
Ramen Lunch
While walking towards the monorail station, we saw this 'Akamichi-Ramen' (屋台赤道ラーメン), thus decided to give it a try (left photo below). It was rather small restaurant with capacity of up to 22 customers. Glad that it was off lunch hour on a weekday and there were only 2 customers when we entered. It seemed to be complicated to select from the ordering machine (right photo below), but I just based on the promotional picture of the food and price to order. However, there were English, Chinese and even Korean descriptions on the menu.
Got myself a Set Menu Ramen which included a bowl of Soy Sauce Ramen (left photo below) and a plate of fried dumplings (right photo below). Cost for this set was JPY 870 and the taste was great.
After the sumptuous meal, we then took monorail from 'Shuri' station (首里駅) to 'Omoromachi' station (おもろまち駅) for some shopping.T Galleria by DFS
Located opposite the Omoromachi station, the T Galleria by DFS Okinawa is a shopping mall with striking and impressive architectural design (left photo below). It is dedicated to fashion and accessories, watches and jewellery, beauty and fragrances, and wines and spirits (right photo below). We did not buy any luxurious item from this mall.
Ameku Ryubo RakuichiAmeku Ryubo Rakuichi (天久りうぼう楽市) is a mall of 350-meters in length. It can be reached by walking for about 15-mins from the 'Omoromachi' station (photos below).
Household brands like Daiso, MUJI, Uniqlo, Best Denki, Sports Depo as well as a 24-hour Ryubo Food Market can be found there (photos below). Due to the conversion rate, items bought using Japanese yen were slightly cheaper compared to those bought in Singapore dollars.
Afternoon BreakDecided to have an afternoon break, we went to a Starbucks nearby. Nothing fantastic about this café that had the standard furnishings from this global coffee chain (left photo below). Ordered a hot cappuccino at JPY 399 (right photo below) that had the same familiar taste.
After the break at about 5 pm, we went back to Hotel Ocean to check in to our room and to freshen up before dinner.
Heiwa-Dori (平和通り)
Heiwa Dōri, or Peace Street, is a 336-meters long pedestrian-only arcade shopping street off Kokusai-Dori with its entrance right across from the Mitsukoshi department store (left photo below). Comprising around 200 shops, the products sold in Heiwa-Dōri have a more distinctly local flair and shops with more nostalgic atmosphere than those from Kokusai-Dori (right photo below).
Dinner in Local EateryFound this eatery established more than 50 years from the internet that has good reviews, thus decided to verify it. Hanagasa-shokudo (花笠食堂) is located along Heiwa-Dori and can be easily located from its bright yellow signboard with models of food sample on display below it (left photo below). The actual eatery entrance is located behind the signboard (right photo below).
The menu had simple English and Chinese descriptions with associated pictures, therefore relatively easy to order. The eatery was a rather moderate-sized and customers could prefer to sit either in Japanese or Western style of dining (left photo below). Ordered a curry udon set and selected 'zenzai' over 'mozuku' as dessert (right photo below). 'Zenzai' is traditional Japanese dessert soup made with azuki beans while 'Mozuku' is an edible seaweed grown mainly in Okinawa dressed with sweet vinegar.
This meal cost JPY 750, and the food indeed had authentic taste which was better than I expected.Kokusai-Dori (国際通り)
Kokusai-Dori, or International Street, is a 1.6-kilometers shopping street stretching from the Palette Kumoji commercial complex's intersection (县厅前交差点) all the way to Asato's three-way junction (安里三叉路). Interestingly both ends of this famous street are marked with a Shisa. The largest ceramic shisa figure standing at 3.4-meters tall next to Makishi station near Asato's junction (left photo below). Whereas a smaller shisa can be found next to the Pallet Kumoji-mae intersection (right photo below).
This street is lined with more than 600 stores from restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, souvenir shops, boutiques to departmental stores. Several quirky and funky souvenirs shops can be found along this street.
Umichurara Store
- Any souvenirs from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium that had missed out can be found in this Umichurara branch at Kokusai Street (left photo below). This was where I bought several hand-made bottled figures as gifts (right photo below).
- Visitors will not miss this funky Okinawa Cultural Store (文化屋雑貨店) that sells action figures, toys and souvenirs (left photo below). What first caught my attention was this 'Tweety Bird in the mouth of Great White Shark' display (right photo below), as well as the two comic figures sitting on a bitter gourd (bottom photos).
Shioya Okinawa Salt Speciality Store
- This Shioya Okinawa Salt Speciality Store (塩屋 ▪ 沖縄の塩専門店) retails anything related to Okinawa Salt (left photo below). What special was this store even has a stall selling salted flavored ice-creams (right photo below).
- One quirky shop that has the façade of Shuri Castle's bargeboard roof is the Okashigoten (御菓子御殿) store (left photo below). Besides their famous 'Okinawan red potatoes tarts' (right photo below), this store also has a wide range of food souvenirs, Ryukyu glass and 'awamori' which is an alcoholic beverage indigenous and unique to Okinawa.
Calbee Plus Store
- This is a must-visit store in the middle of Kokusai street for fans of Calbee snacks (left photo below). It is a small shop but has almost every flavours of their snacks. What is best is that the store will fry the potato fries on the spot once ordered, so it is piping hot potato fries to munch on. There are also some calbee themed stationeries to buy as souvenirs.
Mi-ja Store
- This is a small souvenir shop located in the center of Kokusai Street and the brightly colored store front will surely catch visitor's attention (right photo below). There is nothing particularly special compared to other souvenir shops; mainly sweets and some miscellaneous goods are sold there. However food snacks are at a cheaper price than at the airport.
