Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu

Is an UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of nine sites connected to the Ryukyu Kingdom at Okinawa. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a kingdom from the 1429 to 1879 that ruled over the Ryukyu Islands, among these islands is islands from Okinawa. The Ryukyu was independent kingdom untill 1609 when the feudal lord of Satsuma made Ryukyu kingdom was forced to swear allegiance to Satsuma but allowed to rule itself still after that until 1879 when it was made part of Japan. These sites Include five castles, two sacred sites , a mausoleum and one garden

Sonohyan-utaki

Is one of the sacred sites, it is a sacred grove of trees and plans at the area of Shuri Castle. The UNESCO world heritage site is the stone castle gate at the area. The gate used to be only opened for the King of Ryukyu, but nowadays it is not opened at all. The gate was made 1519.

Address:

3 Shuritonokuracho, Naha 903-0812, Okinawa Prefecture

Cost:

Free

Website

Zakimi Castle

This is one of the Castle sites. Unfortunately, only the ruins of the Castle are left at the site. The Castle was made around 1420

Address:

708-6 Zakimi, Yomitan-son, Nakagami-gun 904-0301, Okinawa Prefecture

Cost:

Free (the museum near the Castle is 200yen)

Website