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

Ishigaki, Okinawa is a city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It includes Ishigaki island and the Senkaku Islands territory. The city is the political, cultural, and economic center of the Yaeyama Islands. New Ishigaki Airport serves the city. As of December 2012, th ...

. It is located on

Ishigaki Island , also known as ''Ishigakijima'', is a Japanese island south-west of Okinawa Hontō and the second-largest island of the Yaeyama Island group, behind Iriomote Island. It is located approximately south-west of Okinawa Hontō. It is within the ...

next to Miyara Bay. It was listed as one of the

Historic Sites of Japan is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultura ...

in 1978.

History

Furusutobaru Castle is best known as the residence of

Oyake Akahachi , also or , was a Ryukyuan lord of Ishigaki Island who led a rebellion against the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1500. Early life and rebellion It is said that Akahachi was born on Hateruma Island, and that he was large and physically strong even as a chi ...

. Through charisma, he managed to convince the other chieftains and lords of the

Yaeyama Islands The Yaeyama Islands (八重山列島 ''Yaeyama-rettō'', also 八重山諸島 ''Yaeyama-shotō'', Yaeyama: ''Yaima'', Yonaguni: ''Daama'', Okinawan: ''Yeema'', Northern Ryukyuan: ''Yapema'') are an archipelago in the southwest of Okinawa ...

to follow him, then declared that Yaeyama would not pay tribute to the

Ryukyu Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...

.Uezato, Takashi. ''琉球戦国列伝―駆け抜けろ!古琉球の群星たち!'' (in Japanese). Naha, Borderink, 2012. Page 33, 84–87. He then proposed an invasion of

Miyako Island is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated islands ...

, which, after hearing of these plans,

Nakasone Toyomiya (active c. 1500–1530) was a Ryūkyūan Chieftain and later Anji of the Miyako Islands credited with repelling an invasion from Ishigaki Island, and expanding Miyako political control over some of the Yaeyama Islands. When the Miyako Islands wer ...

of Miyako then led a preemptive invasion of Yaeyama. Miyako's forces landed in Miyara Bay and attacked Furusutobaru Castle in 1500. Nakasone would go on to conquer the rest of Yaeyama and then submitted to King

Shō Shin was a king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the third ruler the second Shō dynasty. Shō Shin's long reign has been described as "the Great Days of Chūzan", a period of great peace and relative prosperity. He was the son of Shō En, the founder of the dyn ...

when faced with the Ryukyuan army.

Archaeological finds

The site sits on a ridge overlooking Miyara Bay. There are 15 walled enclosures, a few of which have been excavated. Finds include local pottery, white porcelain and

celadon ''Celadon'' () is a term for pottery denoting both wares glazed in the jade green celadon color, also known as greenware or "green ware" (the term specialists now tend to use), and a type of transparent glaze, often with small cracks, that was ...

from China, and the bones of horses and cows.

References

{{Gusuku Castles in Okinawa Prefecture