- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 1416 · 15th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
- Heritage
- part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (an old town or a valley, for example)
- Coordinates
- 26.4083°, 127.7419°
History
The gusuku was built between 1416 and 1422 by Gosamaru, one of the most famous commanders of the Ryukyu Kingdom, who after the conquest of the northern kingdom of Hokuzan was to watch over the area for King Shō Hashi. Around 1440 Gosamaru moved to Nakagusuku Castle and Zakimi lost its importance. During the Second World War the Japanese placed an anti-aircraft battery here, and after the war the US military set up a radar station on the hill. The land was returned to Japan in the 1970s, when restoration of the walls began. In 2000 Zakimi was listed by UNESCO among the gusuku sites of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
What to see
The castle consists of two enclosures surrounded by undulating walls of coral limestone, whose gentle curves are among the most beautiful on Okinawa. Visitors enter through two stone arched gates with a wedge-shaped keystone, considered the oldest of their kind on the island. The walls look out over Yomitan village and the East China Sea, and a regional history museum stands next to the ruins.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2338956
Popularity: articles about this site in 18 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).