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Friday, January 20, 2023

Okinawa - Zakimi Castle Ruins

If you are a regular reader, you know I am interested in Japanese Castles and history. The castles in Okinawa are very different from those in the rest of Japan. The castles in Okinawa were part of the Ryukyu kingdom. Zakimi Castle was built in the early 1400s and served as a safeguard again rebels in the north.

This is what Jcastle has to say about this castle -

Zakimi Castle was originally built to check the rising power of the Hokuzan Kingdom to the North. After the Chuzan Kingdom defeated Hokuzan, Lord Gosamaru moved to Nakijin Castle to govern over the area for the Chuzan Kingdom.

Zakimi Castle, along with Shuri Castle and several other related sites in Okinawa, were desiganted a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2000. They are also designated a National Historical Site.


This was a well kept castle park site with views all around, nice walking trails and signage in Japanese and English.




















Looking in - - 



Looking out - -





The warning to be careful going up to the next level.







Looking down at the walkway leading up to the castle ruins.




I don't know what this is about.  Those are 4 ten yen coins on the square stone.











6 comments:

  1. Looks like an interesting place to walk around and take in the views. I hope you didn't come across any of those snakes, they look VERY dangerous!

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  2. How about this for a wild guess: X marks the spot. A treasure is hidden underneath the four coins!

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  3. Those snakes look ferocious! What interesting ruins, I do love a castle. xx

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  4. You have visited more castles than I, the Japanese.😄

    Okinawa has unique culture. I have also been to Okinawa, but I was often surprised.

    When I visited Okinawa for a school event when I was a student. I saw a HABU and a mongoose fight.
    The place where I saw it had become a tourist attraction in Okinawa.
    (HABU is a picture snake.
    Have a deadly poison.🐍)

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  5. That does look very different. I wonder what it was like in its prime?

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  6. Those walls are really impressive, as is the topography. I would like to have seen what it looked like when it was all there.

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