This article introduces Okinawa’s nine World Heritage sites.
All nine were inscribed on the World Heritage List in December 2000 as the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
Together they preserve a remarkable number of castles and ruins that reveal the court culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Here are the nine sites we cover.
- Nakijin Castle Ruins
- Zakimi Castle Ruins
- Katsuren Castle Ruins
- Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
- Shuri Castle
- Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate
- Tamaudun
- Shikinaen
- Sefa Utaki
Every one of them is well known, and all draw a steady stream of visitors and local residents alike.
Let’s take a look.
Nakijin Castle Ruins
The Nakijin Castle Ruins stand in Nakijin Village, in the north of Okinawa’s main island.
The ruins sit quietly among the lush greenery of northern Okinawa.
The site is known for its sweeping stone walls, which still convey the power of the kingdom that once stood here.
The history woven into those walls leaves a strong impression on everyone who visits.
Below we cover what makes the ruins special, along with an efficient plan for seeing them.
Whether you love history or the outdoors, Nakijin is a fine place to start a journey into Okinawa’s deeper appeal.
| Access | About 100 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 5101 Imadomari, Nakijin Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) Lots 1 to 4 available |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission (individual) | Adults: 600 yen Junior and senior high school students: 450 yen Elementary school age and under: free |
| Admission (groups of 10 or more) | Adults: 480 yen Junior and senior high school students: 360 yen Elementary school age and under: free |
Zakimi Castle Ruins
The Zakimi Castle Ruins are in Yomitan Village, in the central part of Okinawa’s main island.
Inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2000, Zakimi is a well-established stop on the tourist trail.
Allow around 30 to 45 minutes to walk the site.
There is free parking too, so it is an easy place to drop in on.
| Access | About 60 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 708-6 Zakimi, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission | Free |
Katsuren Castle Ruins
The Katsuren Castle Ruins are in Uruma City, in the central part of Okinawa’s main island.
Katsuren was once a major stage in the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and that grand past is still palpable today.
If you are visiting Okinawa, why not step back into those old days for a while?
Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins are in Nakagusuku Village, in the central part of Okinawa’s main island.
Inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2000, Nakagusuku is a well-established stop on the tourist trail.
The site is made up of six enclosures and covers a lot of ground, so allow around 60 to 90 minutes.
There is free parking too, so it is an easy place to drop in on.
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 1258 Tomari, Nakagusuku, Nakagami District, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| 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 |
Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle stands in Naha, in the south of Okinawa’s main island.
From 1429 to 1875, Shuri Castle was the political, diplomatic and cultural heart of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
In 2000 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
Allow around 30 to 45 minutes to walk the site.
There is paid parking on site, and the castle is close to Naha Airport, which makes it an easy place to visit.
*The 2019 fire destroyed the Seiden, Hokuden and Nanden, so these buildings cannot be seen at present. (Reconstruction is scheduled for completion in 2026.)
| Access | About 25 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 1-2 Shuri Kinjocho, Naha, Okinawa |
| Hours: prefectural parking lot | April-June and October-November: 8:00-19:30 July-September: 8:00-20:30 December-March: 8:00-18:30 |
| Prefectural parking lot | Several lots (paid) Standard vehicle: 400 yen Large vehicle: 1,200 yen |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission (individual) *Fewer than 20 people | ・Adults: 400 yen ・High school students: 300 yen ・Elementary and junior high students: 160 yen |
| Admission (group) *20 or more people | ・Adults: 320 yen ・High school students: 240 yen ・Elementary and junior high students: 120 yen |
Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate
The Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate stands in Naha, in the south of Okinawa’s main island, and marks a sacred site known as an utaki.
Okinawa’s history and its natural setting are both alive at the Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate.
Inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2000, the gate still draws visitors with the beauty of its stonework.
Below we cover the highlights of this historic landmark and how long a visit takes.
| Access | About 25 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 1-2 Shuri Kinjocho, Naha, Okinawa |
| Hours: prefectural parking lot | April-June and October-November: 8:00-19:30 July-September: 8:00-20:30 December-March: 8:00-18:30 |
| Prefectural parking lot | Several lots (paid) Standard vehicle: 400 yen Large vehicle: 1,200 yen |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission | Free |
Tamaudun
Tamaudun, in Naha in the south of Okinawa Prefecture, is the royal mausoleum of the kings of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Of all Okinawa’s cultural treasures, few are as closely tied to the Ryukyuan kings as Tamaudun.
Watching over the rest of the kings of the Second Sho Dynasty across the centuries, it tells one of the great stories Okinawa has given the world.
For anyone who wants to feel the depth of Okinawan history, Tamaudun is essential.
| Access | About 25 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 1-3 Shuri Kinjocho, Naha, Okinawa |
| Hours: prefectural parking lot | April-June and October-November: 8:00-19:30 July-September: 8:00-20:30 December-March: 8:00-18:30 |
| Prefectural parking lot | Several lots (paid) Standard vehicle: 400 yen Large vehicle: 1,200 yen |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission (individual) | Adults: 300 yen Junior high school and under: 150 yen *Preschool children accompanied by a guardian are free |
| Admission (groups of 20 or more) | Adults: 240 yen Junior high school and under: 120 yen |
Shikinaen
Shikinaen, in Naha in the south of Okinawa Prefecture, was the largest of the Ryukyuan royal family’s villas.
The garden has kept its old character, and you can still sense the life the royal family led here.
This was where the king and his family relaxed, and where envoys from abroad were entertained.
Pass through the gate at the end of the stone-paved path and you are met by the sky shifting on the surface of the pond and by flowers that change with the seasons.
History and the quiet of nature in one place: Shikinaen is a highlight of any trip to Okinawa.
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 421-7 Maaji, Naha, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission (individual) | Adults: 400 yen Junior high school students and younger: 200 yen *Free for pre-school children accompanied by a guardian |
| Admission (groups of 20 or more) | Adults: 320 yen Junior high school students and younger: 150 yen |
Sefa Utaki
Sefa Utaki is a sacred site in Nanjo City, in the south of Okinawa Prefecture.
Where nature and myth meet, Sefa Utaki is the spiritual heart of Okinawa, and here we walk through its highlights.
We hope this article serves as a guide on your trip to Okinawa, and gives you a reason to visit Sefa Utaki yourself.
We have noted how long each highlight takes, so you can use it to plan your day.
*An utaki is a sacred place where Okinawan deities are enshrined.
| Access | About 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | 539 Chinen Kudeken, Nanjo City, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) 9:00-18:00 |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Admission (individual) | Adults (high school age and above): 300 yen Elementary and junior high school students: 150 yen Age 6 and under: free *Rates change from 1 October 2026 |
| Admission (groups of 20 or more) | Adults: 200 yen *Rates change from 1 October 2026 |
Summary
We have introduced the following nine World Heritage sites.
On your next trip to Okinawa, consider making a tour of them part of the plan.
- Nakijin Castle Ruins
- Zakimi Castle Ruins
- Katsuren Castle Ruins
- Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
- Shuri Castle
- Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate
- Tamaudun
- Shikinaen
- Sefa Utaki
Thank you for reading to the end.
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