Shuri Castle under restoration work
👋 Haisai! I’m CULT.
Today, I’m sharing my experience of visiting Shuri Castle, which is currently undergoing restoration work. While renting a car is the most convenient way to explore Okinawa, I opted for an electric bicycle. I live in Okinawa and absolutely love cycling. Although I don’t have a specific electric bicycle rental company to recommend, I’m sure there are some available if you look around. I haven’t tried an electric bicycle rental service myself, but you’ll need a fairly powerful electric bicycle to get to Shuri Castle.
The electric bike on the left is mine, and the one on the right is an electric bike from a brand called CYCY. My bike has no trouble climbing the steep hills of Shuri Castle, but the shared bike lacks the power to make it up those hills. That’s why I suggested using a service that rents out good electric bikes. Riding up to Shuri Castle and then cycling down is a refreshing and fun experience. I recommend this method 👍
📌 How to Get to Shuri Castle
You can reach Shuri Castle in various ways. As it is a prominent tourist attraction in Okinawa, a lot of attention has been given to accessibility. However, since it is located on the highest hill in the area, I would not recommend walking or using a regular bicycle to get there. You can also take the monorail to get close by.
It is open all year round, ⏰ with opening hours from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM daily. [Google Maps]
As it’s a popular tourist destination, there are various ways to get there. If you’re using a rental car, you can park in the car park. If the parking space at Shuri Castle itself (400 yen per hour) is full, there are coin-operated parking lots nearby. Parking attendants will guide you if the car park is full. Buses run once an hour, but they are not punctual, so I wouldn’t recommend them. It’s actually quicker to take the monorail and walk a bit.
ℹ️ Things You Can Do at the Info Centre
If you’ve parked or, like me, arrived by bicycle, the first stop should be the info centre. It’s because it’s hot. Since it’s summer now, let’s cool down for a moment. The info centre is nice and cool.
Inside the info centre, there are coin lockers (paid) and strollers and wheelchairs available for free rental. Shuri Castle is well-equipped with ramps, making it accessible for those with strollers or wheelchairs, so visitors with babies or mobility issues can easily explore. However, do note that the observatory is accessible only by stairs, so reaching it might not be possible.
And brochures in various languages are available.
They provide a brief history of Shuri Castle and guidance on where and how to explore. They are available in Korean, as well as English, Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese, so be sure to take one with you. Personally, I have a hobby of collecting these, so I picked up the English and Korean versions.
The official name of this place is “Shurijo Castle Park”.
There is an open space with a lawn, and once you pass through here, you can enter the main Shurijo Castle ruins. However, until a few months ago, there were many drink vending machines here, but most of them have disappeared. It’s quite disappointing. My plan was to start the tour with a refreshing drink under the shade of the tree you see on the right.
🏯 Shuri Castle Tour
This is my third visit to Shuri Castle, so there’s nothing I’m particularly curious about. However, I’ll give you a brief introduction for your sake.
🏯 Shuri Castle was once the residence of the king of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It is one of the most iconic landmarks symbolising Okinawa. Unfortunately, on 31st October 2019, at around 2:40 am, a fire broke out for unknown reasons, and the castle was completely destroyed. It is currently undergoing restoration.
Restoration efforts began in 2020, with the aim of completing them by the end of 2026. From what I’ve seen, the external restoration seems almost finished.
To delve into its history, it was built in the late 14th century and was nominally downgraded to a royal residence following the Satsuma Domain’s invasion in 1609. Unfortunately, due to the Satsuma Domain’s significant power, Shuri Castle was abolished in 1879.
It was completely destroyed during the Pacific War, restored in 1992, and then destroyed again in 2019.
In a nutshell: It’s a castle with an incredibly tumultuous fate.
Shuri Castle isn’t particularly large, so the paths aren’t difficult to navigate. Simply follow the signposts, and you’ll easily be able to explore it all. One of the highlights of visiting Shuri Castle is the numerous spots where you can take photos with the panoramic view of Naha in the background, so be sure to capture some memorable shots with the refreshing scenery.
To enter Shuri Castle, you need to purchase a ticket. Currently, Shuri Castle is undergoing restoration work, so you can enter at a 50% discounted rate.
Adults: 400 yen, high school students: 300 yen, primary/middle school students: 160 yen, and children under 6 are free.
This is what the ticket looks like. After leaving the ticket office, submit it to the booth right next to it and you can enter.
This is the Hoshinmon Gate. Can you see the small figure on the left? That’s the entrance. Although there are stairs in front, there’s a ramp on the left side, making it accessible for prams or wheelchairs.
For your information, the Hoshinmon Gate is one of the most important gates protecting Shuri Castle. Only royalty, ministers, and high-ranking officials could pass through this gate. The central gate was reserved for royalty, Chinese envoys, or the highest officials, while the left side was for ministers or high-ranking officials, and the right side was for court ladies or lower-ranking officials.
By entering through the left gate, you become a minister or high-ranking official 👑
When you present your ticket at the entrance of the Hoshinmon, the first thing you’ll see is the exterior building of Shuri Castle, which is currently under restoration. This is a temporary structure that will be dismantled once the restoration work is completed. Inside the building, the construction is taking place.
This is the scenery you can see as you follow the attraction route.
Since the Ryukyu Kingdom was heavily influenced by China, the Chinese architectural style is quite noticeable. From the high vantage point, you can gaze over Naha and even further out to the sea, making it a castle with a truly refreshing view.
🛠️ Restoration Site and Subsequent Viewing
Once inside, you can directly observe the current restoration progress. On weekdays, you might see the staff working on the restoration, but since I visited on a weekend, there were no workers present. It felt noticeably more advanced compared to when I visited in January. They plan to complete it by the end of next year, and I’m already looking forward to it.
For your convenience, there’s an elevator installed from the first to the third floor, so you can comfortably check the restoration progress on each level.
And do pop into the souvenir shop. You’ll find some rather special souvenirs here that you won’t come across in Naha city. Earlier, I mentioned vending machines, and the first one was right here. If you’re feeling thirsty, grab a refreshing drink from the vending machine before you leave.
This is an important building called Yohokoriden.
It’s likely that it was quite hot on your way here. Inside, the air conditioning is very effective, so it’s a good idea to go in and cool off. Of course, there are vending machines inside. Let’s take a break with a refreshing drink while watching a documentary about the restoration site. 🥤
Agari no Azana is a staircase. Unfortunately, prams or wheelchairs cannot access this area as it consists solely of stairs. This is the most challenging spot we are visiting today, but once you climb those stairs, you can enjoy a view of Naha from a high vantage point.
This is roughly what it looks like. Expansive Okinawa!
Let’s take a commemorative photo here with the charming Naha city and the stunning sky as the backdrop 📷
We are on our way back after finishing the tour. On the way, you can still see a few more historical sites.
That’s the case with Gyukemon and Gankai Mon.
I’ve never travelled to China, but I’ve explored it quite a bit through the Three Kingdoms game. Seeing in reality what I had only seen in the game, the style felt truly unique and distinctive. In Korea, we tend to use very vibrant colours, don’t we? The Ryukyu Kingdom style seems quite simple.
The last stop is Shureimon.
In fact, this is the main gate, and it is said to mean a country that values etiquette and manners. You can see a mini version of it when you arrive at Naha Airport and go up to the second floor, right? The real version of it is here at Shureimon. It’s also one of the most important photo spots 👍
What do you think? If you’re visiting Okinawa, why not consider adding Shuri Castle to your itinerary? It may not be as grand as European castles, but with its tumultuous history, having been destroyed by bombs and completely burned down, the resilience it represents is reason enough to visit 💪
