Zakimi Castle [座喜味城]
Zakimi Castle
Stone wall of Zakimi Castle
Zakimi Castle ("Zakimi-gusuku" or "Zakimi-jô" in Japanese) is the castle of Ryukyu Kingdom.
It is located in Yomitan village on the western side of Okinawa Island and is about 25 km north of Naha city.
The site is on a hill, and is at about 120 meters elevation.
It is about 120 meters from east to west and about 90 meters from north to south.
The castle is made up of two enclosures surrounded by stone walls.
The ground of red clay is soft.
The firm castle walls had been constructed on such land and the walls form elegant curves.
So, each enclosure has complicated shape.
The castle was built by Gosamaru, a lord in this area, between 1416 and 1422.
But he was destroyed by Amawari who was the castle lord of Katsuren Castle in 1458.
After that, the castle had been abondened.
Stone wall of Zakimi Castle
An enclosure of Zakimi Castle
The site has a good view of the western sea.
So, Japanese army set up batteries on this site before the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
And US forces set up radar base after the war.
As a result, some parts of the castle were broken, but the parts were restored later.
In 2000, this castle was declared a World Heritage site, as one of Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
How to get here
By route bus, about 1 hour and 10 minutes from Naha terminal to Zakimi or Talashiho stop.
About 5 to 15 minutes walk from the hus stop.
