is a Ryukyuan ''

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

Yomitan, Okinawa is a List of villages in Japan, village located in Nakagami District, Okinawa, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Geography Yomitan is located on the western coast of the central part of Okinawa Island. The village is bound to th ...

. It is in ruins, but the walls and foundations have been restored. In 2000, Zakimi 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, and ...

History

It was built between 1416 and 1422 by the renowned Ryukyuan general

Gosamaru was a Ryukyuan people, Ryukyuan Lord (aji (Ryukyu), Aji)"Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")Ryukyu Shimpo(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009. of Yomitan, Okinawa, Yomi ...

, a project which involved workers from as far away as the

Amami Islands The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest o ...

, and was partly constructed with materials taken from nearby

Yamada Castle was a Ryukyuan gusuku during the Gusuku Period of Ryukyuan history. It is famous for being the birthplace of the Ryukyuan general Gosamaru."Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")Ryu ...

."Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")
Ryukyu Shimpo
(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009. Zakimi Castle oversaw the northern portion of central

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...

. The fortress has two inner courts, each with an

arch An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it. Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...

ed gate. This is Okinawa's first stone arch gate featuring the unique keystone

masonry Masonry is the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar; the term ''masonry'' can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are bricks, building ...

of the Ryukyus. Before and during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the castle was used as a gun emplacement by the Japanese. After the war it was used as a

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

station by the US forces. Some of the walls were destroyed to install the radar equipment, but they have been restored. Zakimi Castle and Okinawa's other castles were named

s by

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 ...

in November 2000.

References

* {{Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles Buildings and structures completed in 1422 Houses completed in the 15th century World Heritage Sites in Japan Former castles in Japan Castles in Okinawa Prefecture Historic Sites of Japan