is a Ryūkyūan gusuku on

Izena Island is located in the East China Sea, north-west of Okinawa Island, in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. The island has a diameter of about and is surrounded by coral reefs, blue sea, and white beaches. It is administered as Izena Village. The five ...

. It was built around the 14th century by Samekawa, son of the Yogura Chief of

Iheya Island Iheya Island ( Okinawan: 伊平屋島, ''Ihyaajima'') is an island located in the Okinawa Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Its total population is 1,200, most of whom are ethnic Ryukyuans. To the southeast of Iheya is nearby Izena Island. ...

. It is built over a limestone outcrop about above sea level on the south eastern side of the island. The castle has three sides which are near vertical cliffs; the south, west and east faces of the castle are rock cliffs, while the northern side provides entry to the castle through a series of steps cut into the hill. There are several chambers in the castle which are separated by walls, built with piled-up pieces of Ryūkyūan limestone, in height. The chambers have many sacred relics such as

utaki Utaki (御嶽) is an Okinawan term for a sacred place, often a grove, cave, or mountain. They are central to the Ryukyuan religion and the former noro priestess system. Although the term ''utaki'' is used throughout the Ryukyu Islands, the te ...

(holy enclosures of the Ryūkyūan religion) and also celadons, Sueki wares, and other important objects, which are also seen in other gusuku sites. 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 d ...

built Izena Tamaudun near the castle.

References

Castles in Okinawa Prefecture {{castle-stub