The majestic Shuri Castle stands in Naha, Okinawa. Though it was wrecked during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, the historical site was laboriously reconstructed in 1992. Developing plans that would be authentic and faithful to the original structure took a massive amount of information. Individual memories were studied just as much as photographs and records to build it once again. Nevertheless, the new Shuri Castle site welcomes visitors to this unique part of Japan. The area around the castle has been named Shuri Castle Park, and it was welcomed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2000. No travel package to Okinawa should pass up this attraction.
There was a period of almost five centuries when this site was the very heart of the historical Ryukyuan Kingdom. In 1879, when Okinawa became part of the burgeoning Japanese state, the castle passed into Japanese hands. Having been the center of political and cultural life in the previous period, it has a remarkable architectural flavor. Okinawan strongholds have a distinctive look that is quite remarkable, and referred to as gusuku. For those who enjoy their time at Shuri, an excursion can be planned to a number of other similar sites. Castle touring can be an excellent way to explore the cultural experience of an area in Japan that is very different form the rest of the nation.
Even if one doesn’t have enough time to spend a full day at the Shuri site, they can at least pause and reflect for a few moments at the Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon if they are in the Naha-shi area. Though it may not be as majestic as the former, it shares UNESCO recognition with Shuri and marks the point of an important grove. This utaki area is sacred, and comprises the trees and plants that are within the area.
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