gusuku
often refers to castles or fortresses in the Ryukyu Islands that feature stone walls. However, the origin and essence of ''gusuku'' remain controversial. In the archaeology of Okinawa Prefecture, the ''Gusuku period'' refers to an archaeologica ...
'' in
Uruma, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uruma was established on April 1, 2005, when the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa were merged with the towns of Katsuren and Yonashiro (both from Nakagami District). As of M ...
. In 2000, Katsuren Castle was designated as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, as a part of the
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu
The is an UNESCO World Heritage Site which consists of nine sites all located in the Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The heritage sites include two ''utaki'' (or sacred sites, one a gate and the other a grove), the Tamaudun mausoleum, one garden, a ...
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
on two sides, it is also called the "Ocean Gusuku". Its "golden age" was in the mid-15th century, under the powerful
Aji
Aji or AJI may refer to:
Location
*Aji (town), Tieling County, Liaoning, China
*Aji Island, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
*Aji, Kagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
* Aji River (disambiguation), rivers with the same name
Other
* Aji (Go), a latent tr ...
of Katsuren,
Amawari
{{nihongo, Amawari, 阿麻和利, , extra=d. 1458 was a Ryukyuan Lord (Aji) of Katsuren Castle, known for his ambitions for the throne of the Ryukyu Kingdom and scheme and attack against Gosamaru, Aji of Yomitanzan and Nakagusuku.
Life
Amawar ...
. The castle was destroyed in 1458 by the Ryukyuan army. Precious tile and
Chinese porcelain
Chinese ceramics show a continuous development since pre-dynastic times and are one of the most significant forms of Chinese art and ceramics globally. The first pottery was made during the Palaeolithic era. Chinese ceramics range from construc ...
of the era have been excavated from Katsuren. Such remains testify to the magnificence of the ancient structure and the robust
entrepôt
An ''entrepôt'' (; ) or transshipment port is a port, city, or trading post where merchandise may be imported, stored, or traded, usually to be exported again. Such cities often sprang up and such ports and trading posts often developed into co ...
trade between Japan, Korea, China, and Southeast Asia. The castle also has an active shrine of the
Ryukyuan religion
The Ryukyuan religion (琉球信仰), Ryūkyū Shintō (琉球神道), Nirai Kanai Shinkō (ニライカナイ信仰), or Utaki Shinkō (御嶽信仰) is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands. While specific legends and traditions ...
within the first bailey dedicated to Kobazukasa. In the 2010 Okinawa earthquake an outer wall at the northeast of the third bailey of Katsuren Castle was damaged.
Katsuren Castle was designated a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 2000 as part of one of the nine ''
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu
The is an UNESCO World Heritage Site which consists of nine sites all located in the Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The heritage sites include two ''utaki'' (or sacred sites, one a gate and the other a grove), the Tamaudun mausoleum, one garden, a ...
''. Katsuren Castle was designated a by the Japanese
Agency for Cultural Affairs
The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture.
The agency's budget for FY 2018 rose to ¥107.7 billion.
Overview
The ag ...
in 1972.
In 2016, both ancient
Roman currency
Roman currency for most of Roman history consisted of gold, silver, bronze, orichalcum and copper coinage. From its introduction to the Republic, during the third century BC, well into Imperial times, Roman currency saw many changes in form, denomi ...
and medieval Ottoman currency were excavated there. This was the first time that Roman coins were excavated in Japan.
Naha Airport
is a second class airport located west of the city hallAIS Japan in
Okinawa Expressway
The is an expressway on Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The expressway has a length of . The West Nippon Expressway Company is the owner and operator of this expressway. It is signed E58 under the "2016 Proposal for Realization of E ...