The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins stand in Nakagusuku Village, in the central part of Okinawa’s main island.
Inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2000, the ruins are one of Okinawa’s best known attractions.
The site is made up of six enclosures and covers a lot of ground, so allow around 60 to 90 minutes to walk it.
There is free parking too, which makes it an easy place to visit.
Ratings for the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
*Ratings are the subjective assessment of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, compared with other castles and castle ruins in Okinawa.
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins at a glance
| Opening hours | 8:30-17:00 May to September: 8:30-18:00 |
| Closed | Open year-round |
| Admission (individual) | Adults: 400 yen Junior and senior high school students: 300 yen Elementary school students: 200 yen |
| Admission (group) *Groups are 20 people or more | Adults: 300 yen Junior and senior high school students: 200 yen Elementary school students: 100 yen |
| Time needed | About 60-90 minutes |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Address | 1258 Tomari, Nakagusuku, Nakagami District, Okinawa |
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins are known for their beautiful stonework and the curving lines of the walls.
In 2000 the site was inscribed as a World Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
What to see at the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
Six beautiful enclosures
The greatest appeal of the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins is the layout of six distinct enclosures, known as kaku. The six are as follows.
- The First Enclosure
- The Second Enclosure
- The Third Enclosure
- The North Enclosure
- The South Enclosure
- The West Enclosure
Each has its own shape, and the stone walls that carry the layers of history are remarkably well preserved.
Walking through all of them is the best way to feel the scale of a castle from the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Three stone-stacking techniques (rough natural stone, coursed and interlocking)
Three techniques were used here: nozurazumi (rough natural stone), nunozumi (coursed masonry) and aikatazumi (interlocking polygonal stone).
They represent the very best of the craft of the time, and each has its own beauty and its own function.
The rough natural stone in particular, laid just as it came, gives the walls a solemn presence.
A beauty that even Perry admired
Commodore Perry of the United States is said to have marvelled at the beauty of the ruins when he visited.
The sweeping view he would have seen still holds visitors today.
The view from the top
From the highest point of the site you look out over the blue of the East China Sea against the green of Okinawa’s main island.
On a clear day you can even make out the outer islands, and the view stays with you long afterwards.
The curve of the stonework
The walls are not built in straight lines alone; they curve.
That curve is what makes the ruins so striking, and it leaves visitors deeply moved.
World Heritage listing (Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu)
In 2000 the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins were inscribed as a World Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
To really feel what that means, come and stand on this ground and breathe the air here.
Allow 1.5 hours (90 minutes)
To take in the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins properly, allow about an hour and a half of walking.
That is enough time to lose track of the clock and take in the history and the nature of Okinawa.
Add the ruins to your Okinawa trip and ordinary sightseeing turns into something you remember.
Do come, and see and feel it all for yourself.
The history of the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
Nakagusuku Castle stood in central Okinawa and flourished from the 14th to the 15th century, in the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The date it was first built is unknown, but from the latter half of the 14th century the Sakinakagusuku Aji built it up over several generations, and around 1440 Gosamaru, the Yomitanzan Aji, carried out a major extension.
After the fall of Gosamaru, the First Enclosure at the innermost point of the site housed the magiri banjo, the local district office, and later the Nakagusuku village office. It served as the political centre of the village until it burned down in the fighting in early April 1945.
In 2000 it was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
That listing is proof that the historical and cultural value of the ruins is recognised worldwide.
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins stand for the depth of Okinawa’s history, and the story the stone walls tell still moves the people who come here.
Visiting the site is a journey back into the age of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Take in the romance of that history, and enjoy the beauty of the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins.
Getting there and parking
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 1258 Tomari, Nakagusuku, Nakagami District, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins have free parking.
For the parking area, see the Google Map below.
Nearby
Nakagusuku Mall Beach
Nakagusuku Mall Beach is a beach in Nakagusuku Village, in central Okinawa.
Few tourists come here; it is a local beach where people from the area swim.
Its calling cards are roughly a kilometre of shoreline and a mermaid statue.
There is no safety net and no lifeguard, so take care if you go in the water.
Activities in Okinawa
Okinawa’s main island offers snorkelling, diving, SUP and plenty more.
You can book through GetYourGuide or Viator, so take a look.
A rental car is the way to go in Okinawa
For sightseeing on Okinawa’s main island, a rental car is by far the best option.
Shuri Castle in Naha, the beautiful beaches up north, American Village in Chatan – the places worth seeing are scattered across the island, and having a car lets you explore at your own pace. Buses are infrequent and rarely run on time, so having a car makes a real difference to the trip.
Cars book up quickly in peak season, so reserve as soon as your dates are set.
Summary
Here we covered the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins.
The site draws a great many visitors every year.
It has both historical weight and a beautiful setting, so do make room for the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins on your trip to Okinawa.
Thank you for reading to the end.
Comments