About Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle (首里城, Shurijo) is located atop a hill in Shuri overlooking the capitol city of Naha on the island of Okinawa. The castle grounds are open for visitors to walk around and explore. The area is currently under reconstruction as the castle tragically caught fire in 2019 and is still undergoing repairs and reconstruction to date; however, the main area where the castle itself was located is still open for touring for a reasonable admission fee of 400 yen.
Before the recent fire, Shuri Castle was considered Japan’s most unique castle with its beautiful red lacquer and intricate decoration. The castle took a lot of influence from Chinese architecture, which is part of the reason it stood out so much among other castles in Japan.
In spite of the fire, the Shuri Castle grounds still provide a beautiful walking area, with scenic views from atop the hill. Along the walking path are the limestone walls that surround the castle, as well as several stunning gates. A few of the old buildings are now repurposed as small museums where artifacts collected throughout the history of Okinawa are displayed. When the Seiden (main hall) was faithfully reconstructed before the fire, it looked the same as it once did during the Ryukyu period. However, visitors can still visit the area where it was and see tons of before and after photos, as well check-up on the latest reconstruction progress.
Shuri Castle Hours:
Free Areas: Kankaimon Gate, Kobikimon Gate, Kyukeimon Gate
Open Hours – 8:30AM–6PM
Paid Areas: Houshinmon Gate, Yohokoriden (Rest Area), Agari no Azana (Observation Area)
Open Hours – 9:00AM-5:30PM (Last Admission at 5:00PM)
Shuri Castle Admission:
400 yen
Brief History of Shurijo
There are numerous castle ruins scattered throughout Okinawa. Back when Okinawa was not part of Japan, it was ruled by the Ryukyu Kingdom. And before it was unified into a single Ryukyu kingdom, it was divided into three factions. The middle faction, Chuzan, controlled the area with Shuri. Chuzan eventually defeated the other two factions and unified Okinawa in 1429. During that time Shurijo ended up being the last castle standing, leaving the others to remain as castle ruins.
That’s not to say that Shurijo remained unscathed throughout its history. It was destroyed by fire 3 times during the Ryukyu Kingdom period. It was rebuilt each time; and for good reason, as it was the center point of the Ryukyu Kingdom in many ways. Shurijo served as the focal point for politics, diplomacy, trade, and culture within the Ryukyu Kingdom, as well as the home for the king and his family.
In 1879 the Ryukyu Kingdom was annexed by Japan and the castle was used as a barracks for the Imperial Japanese Army. The army left in 1896; however, they did leave their mark by constructing several tunnels underneath the ground. Afterwards, the castle was bought by the city of Shuri in 1908, designated a Shinto Shrine in 1923 and was later designated a national treasure in 1925. While it was in disrepair, anyone who visited the castle saw how magnificent it was, not just for its uniquely beautiful Seiden (main hall), but also the view it provided over the countryside as it stood atop its roughly 130 meter hill.
Sadly, it was again destroyed in World War II. Japanese Imperial troops had set up defenses in and around Shuri Castle and it was subsequently shelled by the USS Mississippi and set on fire. The Japanese troops had retreated and regrouped elsewhere already and the United States took Shurijo without much fight.
Afterwards in 1950, the University of Ryukyus was created on the old castle site. At this point Okinawa was still under US control and it wasn’t until 1972 that the prefecture was officially returned to Japan. The university eventually moved to its current location in the town of Nishihara between 1975 and 1984. By 1992 the main buildings and walls of the central castle were reconstructed in honor of the 20th anniversary of Okinawa’s revision to Japan. Shuri Castle Park, which includes the surrounding area, was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Fire in 2019
In total, Shuri Castle has burned down 5 times. Three of those times were during the Ryukyu Kingdom Period, once was in World War II and the most recent was on October 31, 2019. At about 2:30 in the morning, an alarm went off at Shuri Castle with emergency services arriving sometime later. It took until around 1:30 pm for the fire to be fully put out. In that time 8 structures were destroyed, including the main hall known as the Seiden.
As for what happened, it seems to have just been an accident. A security guard had gone to check on the alarm soon after it went off and found the entrance to the Seiden was locked. By the time he unlocked it and entered, the room was already completely filled with smoke. According to The Japan Times, authorities have ruled out arson and say that the most likely source for the fire was from a faulty electrical distribution board. Security footage at the time appears to show flashing light before and after the fire started at the main hall.
Shuri Castle Restoration
Currently Shuri Castle Park is attempting to restore Shurijo back to its former glory. The entire park area was closed until December 12, 2019 where they reopened about 80% of the surrounding park. Slowly things have started to reopen and clean up and construction has begun. As of now (October 2021), the park is basically fully open and visitors can walk through a guided path of where the Seiden was. As of June 2020, part of the Seiden foundation and some pieces from the structure, like stone steps, steel beams, decorative dragon’s head and other remnants recovered are on display. The estimated time of finishing the reconstruction is sometime in 2026.
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