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Shurijo Castle is a symbol of the unique
history and culture of Okinawa. The castle's history
is also the history of the Kingdom of the Ryukyus itself.
Atop a small hill, Shurijo Castle is surrounded by curved
walls which contain various structures. There are many
open areas, as well as sacred grounds. This is not specific
to Shurijo Castle, but a common feature of all old Okinawan
castles called "gusuku". While other gusukus
were lost in battle, Shurijo Castle alone preserved
the old features of the gusuku and incorporated new
developments.
Shurijo Castle consists of two areas: the expanse within
the walls and the space between the inner and outer
walls. The inner area was complete in the early 15th
century and the outer area, in the mid-16th Century.
The entire castle faces west, with the Seiden and other
structures aligned along history of exchanges with China
and Japan influenced many aspects of Shurijo Castle structure.
Such influences are exemplified by the Seiden, Nanden,
and the Hokuden.
Shurijo Castle was both the royal residence for the
king and his family and the administrative center of
the Shurijo Royal Government. It also served as a religious
center to administer the rituals performed by the cultural
and artistic activities, with many musicians, dancers,
artisans and craftsmen active in the castle area.
In the spring of 1879, the king was exiled from Shurijo
Castle, and Okinawa Prefecture was established. Shurijo
Castle then became the military headquarters of the
Japanese troops and served as school buildings. Although
extensively renovated during the 1930's, the castle
was razed in 1945 by US military raids. Following the
war, the grounds served as the campus for the University
of the Ryukyus. When the university was relocated, the
Castle was restored to its present condition.
The present Shurijo Castle is modeled after the 18th
Century facility.
The castle was registered as a World Heritage Site in
December 2000. |
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