Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sage written on a wall by Commander Ota. It's a farewell message for his chief officer and
praises the spirit and devotion of the Okinawans who served in the Imperial Army during
the battle. The message even acknowledges that the Okinawan people were not always well
treated by his Japanese troops.
The Shikina-en Royal Garden is a classic Ryukyuan garden arranged around a pond and the setting for
several restored royal buildings.
After the war, the headquarters was left much as it stands today. The tunnels are about
100 feet (30 meters) underground and run in all directions from the Com mander's post
and quarters, to officer's quarters, barracks, communications, dining and kitchen facilities, a
makeshift hospital, ammunitions magazines and various storerooms.
9
SHIKINA-EN ROYAL GARDEN
識名園
If we stay to the east of downtown and drive only a few miles north and east, we'll come
to another of Okinawa's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Shikina-en Royal Garden (
識名園
;
Shikina-en). Built in 1799 and located on a high point above Naha City, this garden contained
the royal family's largest country villa. It is Okinawa's least known yet most classic Ryukyuan
gardens. The estate was used for a retreat, not only for the royal family but for envoys visiting
from the Empire of China. As it was used as a welcoming place for visiting dignitaries, it is by
no coincidence that it is one of the few places on Okinawa where the ocean cannot be seen.
There is an observatory platform, Kankō-dai, on the southern side of the park where foreign
visitors were brought, to impress them with the great size of the Ryukyu kingdom.
The style of Shikina-en incorporates elements of Chinese, Japanese and Ryukyuan design.
For example, Rokkaku-do is a small hexagonal pagoda and place of contemplation. Perfectly
shaped, its black-glazed-tile roof is pure Chinese. It's sited on its own little islet in the pond
and reached by crossing over
ishi-bashi
Chinese arched stone bridges. In contrast, Udun, the
palace house, is authentically Japanese. It is modeled between the end of the Meiji and the
beginning of the Taisho era.
