A Travel Guide to Shuri Castle, a World Heritage Site Where You Can Feel the History and Culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom

Shuri Castle has not only a paid area but also a free area that you can tour without paying admission.
Admission tickets can also be purchased at Naha Airport.
Naha Airport has an information counter with support in English, Chinese, and Korean, so make good use of it.

Hours vary by season and area, so please be careful.

One of Shuri Castle’s symbols, Shureimon Gate is the first gate you pass through on your way to the Shuri Castle Main Hall.
Because it’s built in a Chinese-style architectural form called a paifang, you can feel the influence of Chinese culture.
At the top of Shureimon Gate is a long, horizontal plaque called a “gaku,” with the words “Shurei no Kuni” written on it.
This means “Ryukyu is a country that values courtesy.”

Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon is located between Shureimon Gate and Kankaimon Gate at Shuri Castle.
It’s not a gate you pass through as an entrance or exit, but a worship site where the king prayed for safe travels when going on pilgrimages around the islands.
It’s a representative Ryukyuan stone structure, and beyond it lies a sacred forest called an “utaki,” where deities are enshrined.
It was designated a National Treasure in 1933, but was partially destroyed during the war fought on Okinawa’s main island.
It was restored in 1957 and designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It was also registered as a World Heritage Site.

Shuri Castle is surrounded by two layers—the outer bailey (outer castle walls) and the inner bailey (inner castle walls)—and Kankaimon Gate is the first gate of the outer bailey.
It was named with the meaning of “welcoming” the envoys of the Chinese emperor who were invited to Shuri Castle.
On both sides of Kankaimon Gate, a pair of stone lion statues called “shisa” are placed as talismans to ward off evil.

Zuisenmon Gate is the second gate you pass through after Kankaimon Gate.
It was named “Zuisen,” meaning “a fine, auspicious spring,” after the spring water called Ryūhi located in front of the gate.
A yaguramon gate, where a turret sits atop a stone gate, can also be seen at Japanese castle gates, but the influence of Chinese culture appears in the long horizontal plaque on the turret reading “Zuisen,” letting you feel the culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Until Kankaimon Gate and Kyūkeimon Gate were built, Zuisenmon Gate was the main gate of Shuri Castle.
As with Kankaimon Gate, a pair of shisa guard the gate on both sides.

Shuri Mori-kan is Shuri Castle’s information center.
It’s a facility for informational exhibits and taking a break, with general guidance, as well as a restaurant, cafe, and shop.
There are also exhibits where you can learn about Ryukyuan history and culture, so we recommend stopping by before passing through Shureimon Gate.
At Restaurant Shuri Mori, you can also enjoy Okinawan local dishes and gourmet items made with “dynasty miso” once used by the Ryukyu royal family.

The Shuri Castle Main Hall was the most important palace in Shuri Castle, and it was the largest wooden structure in the Ryukyu Kingdom, with a large ceremonial courtyard as well.
It has been lost and rebuilt many times due to fires and war, and it was damaged again in the 2019 fire—so as of 2023, you cannot see the beautiful 모습 of the Shuri Castle Main Hall.
However, the Shuri Castle Main Hall Ruins, which are registered as a World Heritage Site, still remain, and they are scheduled to be viewable again in 2026 after the restoration work is completed.
The Shuri Castle Main Hall Ruins refer to part of an older-era Shuri Castle Main Hall that was excavated near the reconstructed Shuri Castle Main Hall.
From these ruins, it’s known that the main hall was rebuilt many times.
They are also designated as a National Historic Site, making them ruins of high historical value.

Hōshinmon Gate is the last gate before entering the “Unaa,” where the Shuri Castle Main Hall stands.
Of the three openings, the central gate could only be used by high-ranking people such as the king.
Other officials entered the castle through the gates on both sides.
In 1754, it was renovated following the Chinese system. It was removed around the end of the Meiji period, but its exterior was restored in 1992.
Today, it serves as the ticket gate for the paid area.
Don’t miss the “Uke-jō” gate-opening ceremony held 5 minutes before opening.
Staff dressed in the attire of officials from the Ryukyu Kingdom era strike a gong and, at the moment they call out “Uke-jō,” Hōshinmon Gate opens.
It feels like stepping back into the Ryukyu era, so be sure to join if you can.

An “azana” is a lookout platform created to see into the distance.
Along with Rōkokumon Gate and Nishi no Azana, it also served the role of announcing the time within the castle.
From Higashi no Azana, located at an elevation of 140 m, you can look out over the town outside the castle and the area behind the main hall inside the grounds.
On clear days, you can see as far as the Chinen Peninsula and Kudaka Island.
Feel the pleasant breeze that blows through Shuri Castle, and take your time enjoying the views of the area around Shuri Castle and downtown Naha.

A mausoleum built in 1501 during the reign of King Shō Shin, known as the golden age of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
It’s a massive stone structure said to be modeled after Shuri Castle, and it features three east-west chambers where the remains are interred.
Remains from its original 1501 construction still remain intact, including the Tamaudun Inscription Stele bearing the names of the royal family members laid to rest in Tamaudun.

The Shuri Kinjo-cho Stone-Paved Road is part of Pearl Road, one of the roads developed in the 16th century during the Ryukyu Kingdom to connect Shuri Castle with regions across the islands.
It’s a slope in the quiet residential neighborhood of Shuri Kinjo-cho, about 500 m from Shuri Castle.
Along an average width of Approx. 4 m, a stone-paved path made of 20–30 cm Ryukyu limestone continues for Approx. 300 m.

The largest villa of the Ryukyu royal family, completed in 1799 during the reign of King Shō On, the 15th king of the Second Shō dynasty. It was used for royal recreation and to entertain investiture envoys (sappōshi) sent by the Chinese emperor.
In 1941, it was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty by the nation, but it suffered catastrophic damage in the Battle of Okinawa at the end of World War II.
After postwar reconstruction, it was redesignated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 1976, and in 2000 it was designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
Also in 2000, it was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site as a component property of the “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.”

A famous Okinawa soba spot popular with locals, located in a residential neighborhood a short walk from Shuri Castle, with lines forming even before opening.
The menu is very simple: besides the main Shuri soba, there are simmered dishes, onigiri, jūshī, and shaved ice zenzai.
Shuri soba comes in three sizes (large, medium, small) and features flat, hand-cut noodles with a firm chew and satisfying bite.

A charming traditional house dining spot renovated from a 50-year-old home.
Along with dishes that generously use Okinawa’s branded pork “Pineapple Pork Jun,” raised on pineapple, the menu also includes Okinawa classics like goya champuru, fu champuru, shima rakkyo, and tofu yo.

A specialty shop for “Po-tama,” a local Okinawa favorite you should try when you visit.
“Po-tama” refers to “pork tamago onigiri,” a rice ball sandwich filled with pork luncheon meat and a rolled omelet.
Loved by Okinawans as a soul food, it traces back to home cooking that’s easy to eat even on busy mornings.
It’s hearty and seriously satisfying.

Kokusai-dori is Naha’s main street, lively both day and night in the heart of Okinawa Prefecture.
Hotel Gracery Naha is located along Kokusai-dori and is a convenient base for sightseeing, just 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport.
All rooms feature separate bathrooms, with a focus on comfort.

Okinawa Daiichi Hotel, a long-established hotel founded in 1955, reopened after relocating to Ichigin-dori near Kokusai-dori in 2011.
Surrounded by Ryukyu-style stone walls and antique furnishings, it offers just five rooms in total, including twin, single, and Japanese-style rooms.
Though small, it has earned many repeat guests with attentive service.

A guesthouse located near Naha City Hall, within walking distance of Kokusai-dori.
It’s a reasonably priced dorm-style stay, but it supports comfortable sleep with bedding by Shinsaibashi Nishikawa and pocket-coil mattresses by IDC Otsuka Furniture.
Each bed has outlets, a USB connector, and a reading light by the pillow, so you can also enjoy your own downtime.