Nakijin Castle

Nakijin Castle, also known as Hokuzan Castle, is a famous castle ruin located in Nakijin Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture. Built in the 14th century before the establishment of the Ryukyu Kingdom, it once served as the royal seat of the Kingdom of Hokuzan. Today, it is designated as a National Historic Site of Japan, and in 2000 it was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu”. It was also selected among the Japan’s Top 100 Castles in 2006.

According to local legends, the castle was originally built by the “Lord of Nakijin” even before the Shunten dynasty. Historical sources such as the Chūzan Seikan and Chūzan Seifu mention that a brother or descendant of King Shunten once governed the site, later succeeded by Prince Yuntanza, the second son of King Eiso. Eventually, his lineage was overthrown by Haniji, paving the way for the emergence of the Hokuzan Kingdom. The Ming Taizu Shilu (Veritable Records of the Ming Taizu) records Hokuzan’s tributary missions and mentions Nakijin Castle, making it the earliest surviving document to reference the site. In 1416, the Hokuzan Kingdom was conquered by King Shō Hashi of Chūzan, after which Nakijin became the residence of the Hokuzan governor until its abolition in the 17th century. During the 1609 invasion of Ryukyu by the Satsuma Domain, Nakijin Castle was among the first targets of attack.

Nakijin Castle is one of the largest castles in Okinawa, stretching about 350 meters north–south and 800 meters east–west, with an area of 37,000 m². Its grounds include royal residences, retainers’ quarters, and several subsidiary enclosures. Archaeological excavations have revealed a wealth of artifacts, especially Chinese porcelain from the 14th–15th centuries, along with Korean celadon, Southeast Asian and Japanese ceramics, weapons, and ritual items—evidence of Hokuzan’s prosperity through tributary trade.

About 6 km southeast of Nakijin lies the ruins of Shii Castle, believed to have been built in the 13th century but abandoned due to a lack of water, prompting the power center to shift to Nakijin.

After World War II, restoration and conservation works were carried out. Upon Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972, Nakijin Castle was designated as a National Historic Site. The road from the castle gate to the inner compounds is lined with Kanhi-zakura cherry trees, which bloom between January and February, making the site—alongside Mt. Yaedake in Motobu—one of Okinawa’s best-known cherry blossom spots. Today, the site includes a Visitor Exchange Center and parking facilities, with admission tickets jointly covering the Nakijin Village History and Culture Center, making it a key cultural tourism destination in northern Okinawa.