Okinawa｜Witness the restoration history of World Heritage Sites and experience the Ryukyu Kingdom at the end of the 13th century at Shuri Castle

In 2019, a fire destroyed seven buildings including the main hall of Shuri Castle. This complex of buildings, which was listed as a World Heritage Site in the millennium, has experienced five destructions. The main hall, which is now under repair, is planned as an exhibition area, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in history and participate in the historical trajectory from the 13th century Zhongshan Kingdom, the Shang Dynasty, the invasion of Satsuma, World War II, to the present. Another temporary building was erected outside the main hall. The first to third floors have different restoration progress. Outside the observation room with large windows, fragments rescued after the fire, pigment ratios, tile patterns and combinations are displayed. Speaking of patterns, the reconstructed tile patterns are also the restoration of the pineapple flowers and the totems of the Ryukyu kings. The story starts in the 13th century. In the Sanshan era, Shuri was the capital of the Zhongshan Dynasty. Later, the first and second Shang dynasties continued to expand here. Looking at the city from Shuri Castle, it seems that you can see the territory in the eyes of the Ryukyu kings. In 1453, the royal family fought for power, which was the first fire in Shuri Castle. The second fire occurred in 1660. In 1709, the main hall was hit by a fire again. In the end, the Satsuma Domain sent nearly 20,000 logs, which took several years to repair. During World War II, the USS Mississippi bombarded Shuri Castle, which was the fourth destruction of Shuri Castle. This city, like the residents of Okinawa, has experienced hardships, but can stand up optimistically. The fifth reconstruction now may be our opportunity to participate in history. If you go to Okinawa, you must visit Shuri Castle and feel the familiar and unfamiliar Ryukyu and the historical changes in modern times. 📍Address: 1-2 Shurikinjocho, Naha, Okinawa 903-0815Japan 🚗Monorail Shuri Station, a 15-minute walk away. #5月好去处2025