Shuri Castle

沖縄県

Royal seat of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429—its vermilion hall blending Chinese and Japanese styles is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Founded

1429

Type

Castle

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ゆいレール首里駅から徒歩15分

沖縄県那覇市首里金城町1-2

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Castle

Founded 1429

597 years

Overview

A UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the royal castle of the Ryukyu Kingdom and was the center of politics, diplomacy, and culture for approximately 450 years. The vividly vermilion-painted architecture represents the finest of a distinctive Ryukyuan architectural style that absorbed influences from both China and Japan. Reconstructed in 1992, the main hall was destroyed again in a fire in …

Origins

The origins of Shuri Castle are believed to date to the late 14th or early 15th century. In 1429, Sho Hashi unified the three kingdoms of Ryukyu and established the Ryukyu Kingdom, making Shuri Castle its royal seat and the political, diplomatic, and cultural center of the realm. Over the following …

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Festivals & Events
— 2

8月

All-Island Eisa Festival

Okinawa's largest Eisa festival, where local youth groups perform traditional dances during Obon.

もっと詳しく · 1

人
Related Figures
— 2

King Sho Hashi

First King of the Unified Ryukyu Kingdom, Unifier of the Three Kingdoms

Age 57 at founding

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In 1429, Sho Hashi unified the three kingdoms and made Shuri Castle the royal seat of the new Ryukyu Kingdom. He had already moved the capital from Urasoe to Shuri in 1406 upon installing his father as king of Chuzan, and Shuri Castle remained the kingdom's center for the next roughly 450 years.

King Sho Shin

3rd King of the Second Sho Dynasty, Who Built Ryukyu's Golden Age

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King Sho Shin ascended at age 12 in 1477 and reigned for nearly 50 years, requiring regional lords to reside in Shuri to establish centralized rule. In 1509 he erected an inscribed monument before the main hall recording the achievements of his reign, presiding over what is remembered as Ryukyu's golden age.

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Visiting Information

Hours

Free area (Kankaimon, Kobikimon, Kyukeimon, Keiseimon gates): Apr–Nov 8:00 AM–7:30 PM, Dec–Mar 8:00 AM–6:30 PM. Paid area: Apr–Nov 8:30 AM–7:00 PM (last entry 6:30 PM), Dec–Mar 8:30 AM–6:00 PM (last entry 5:30 PM). No regular closure days listed. The main hall, destroyed in the 2019 fire, is under reconstruction (interior not open; completion expected autumn 2026).

Admission

Paid area: adults ¥400, high school students ¥300, elementary/junior-high students ¥160, free under age 6 (group discounts for 20+). Free area: no charge. Free for Okinawa residents 70+ and disability-certificate holders plus one caregiver.

As of 2026-07-17. Subject to change.

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