Okinawa Gokoku Shrine is a shrine in Naha, in the southern part of Okinawa’s main island.
A gokoku shrine is one that enshrines the spirits of those who died in service of the nation, in affairs of state and in war.
Most prefectures in Japan have one, and in Okinawa it is this shrine.
It is also a popular place for the first shrine visit of the year and for prayers of all kinds, and people of every sort come here to worship.
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine ratings
*Ratings are the personal view of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, based on comparison with other castles and castle ruins in Okinawa
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine at a glance
| Hours | Charms: 9:00-17:00 Prayer reception (morning): 9:30-11:45 Prayer reception (afternoon): 13:00-16:00 |
| Closed | Open year-round |
| Admission | Free |
| Time needed | About 30 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restroom | Yes |
| Address | 44 Onoyama-cho, Naha, Okinawa |
| Official website | https://www.okinawa-gokoku.jp/ |
Highlights of Gokoku Shrine
A shrine enshrining those who died in the Battle of Okinawa
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine was founded in 1936 and renamed a gokoku shrine in 1939.
It enshrines the soldiers and civilian employees from Okinawa Prefecture who died in national crises from the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars through to the last war.
It also enshrines civilians who lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa, along with those from mainland Japan.
After the war the site was used for a time as school land, but public feeling led to the shrine being rebuilt in 1959.
Since then it has drawn a steady stream of worshippers as a place to remember those who died in the Battle of Okinawa.
A handsome torii
The fine torii gate at the entrance stands as a welcome to everyone who comes.
Set against Okinawa’s blue sky and greenery, it gives the approach a real sense of the sacred.
The Statue of Peace
Within the grounds stands the Statue of Peace, built as an expression of the hope for peace.
Beside it are stones inscribed with the words for lasting peace, remembrance and coexistence in friendship.
The disabled veteran and wife statue
This monument depicts a soldier who lost a leg and the woman supporting him.
It is said to have been erected as an expression of the longing for lasting peace throughout the world.
Prayers
Gokoku Shrine offers the following prayers.
・Household safety
・Warding off misfortune
・A baby’s first shrine visit
・Shichi-Go-San
・Safe childbirth
・Success in exams
・Victory
・Business success
・Road safety
・Recovery from illness
・Matchmaking
Source: Okinawa Gokoku Shrine
There are restrooms too
The shrine information board
There is a board on site setting out the history of Okinawa Gokoku Shrine.
History of Okinawa Gokoku Shrine
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine was founded in 1936. It began as a shokonsha and was renamed a gokoku shrine in 1939. In 1940 it was designated by the Home Minister and granted a rank equivalent to a prefectural shrine.
The shrine enshrines soldiers and civilian employees from Okinawa Prefecture who died in national crises from the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars through to the last war, along with civilians killed in the Battle of Okinawa and those from mainland Japan. In 1941 the city of Naha carried out a major expansion of the buildings and facilities, but much of it was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
After the war only part of the main hall remained, and the grounds were used for a time as school land. Calls to rebuild it as a place of remembrance grew, however, and a temporary hall was put up in April 1959. That November the spirits of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa were transferred from Yasukuni Shrine, and the first autumn festival was held.
In 1965 the present main hall and worship hall were completed through the efforts of the shrine’s reconstruction committee. Following Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972 an application was made for religious corporation status, which was granted on 18 December 1973.
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine has continued to hold the respect of the prefecture’s people, and a new shrine office was completed in December 2010. Ceremonies and prayers of remembrance are still held here, and it remains a place many people visit.
Source: Okinawa Gokoku Shrine
Parking and access
| Access | About 10 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 44 Onoyama-cho, Naha, Okinawa |
| Parking | Two free parking lots |
| Restroom | Yes |
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine is inside Onoyama Park, so you can use the park’s parking.
Note, though, that Onoyama Park also contains Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha and the Okinawa Prefectural Budokan, and events are held regularly. On event days the lots can fill up, so bear that in mind.
The first is Onoyama Park Parking Lot 1.
The second is Onoyama Park Parking Lot 2.
Nearby Information
Activities in Naha
Naha, in the southern part of Okinawa’s main island, offers plenty of activities including diving and snorkeling.
You can book through GetYourGuide or Viator, so do take a look at what is on offer.
Rihga Royal Gran Okinawa
Rihga Royal Gran Okinawa connects directly to Asahibashi Station on the Yui Rail monorail, and is as little as five minutes by car or about ten by monorail from Naha Airport.
A Japanese-Western-Ryukyuan buffet breakfast at Dining 19 on the top floor, a welcome drink in every room and valet parking all add up to a genuinely comfortable stay.
You can check it on Booking.com, so do take a look.
A rental car is the way to go in Okinawa
A rental car is by far the best way to get around the main island of Okinawa.
The places worth seeing are scattered across the island, from Shuri Castle in Naha to the beautiful beaches of the north and American Village in Chatan, and with a car you can take them at your own pace. Buses are infrequent and do not always run on time, so having a car or not makes a real difference to the trip.
Cars fill up quickly in the peak season, so we recommend booking early once your travel dates are set. One important note for overseas visitors: to drive in Japan you must obtain an International Driving Permit (Geneva Convention) in your home country before you depart, and remember that traffic in Japan drives on the left.
Summary
Okinawa Gokoku Shrine is a shrine with a long history, enshrining a great many spirits of the dead.
The torii, the Statue of Peace and the disabled veteran and wife statue all give visitors something to sit with.
It also offers a wide range of prayers, conducted with real care.
Do visit Gokoku Shrine and see what it has to offer.
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