Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Main Hall (Seiden) at Shuri Castle.
Shuri Castle seen from the surrounding park.
Shikina-en's garden plantings are carefully arranged around its central pond to take ad-
vantage of the seasonal changes in sub-tropical Okinawa. Cherry and plum trees blossom
along the east side of the park in spring. Summer blooms include wisteria, then water lotus,
among others. Fall brings the dark violet flowers of
kikyo
, Chinese bell flowers, and the
sweet fragrance of osman-thus bushes, found everywhere in the park. A freshwater spring,
Ikutoku-sen, bubbles up from within limestone heights and supplies the ponds. Their waters
exit at Taki-Guchi or Fall Crest, a carved stone culvert that allows overflow to drop without
creating damage below. Shikina-en was completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa but
has been faithfully restored to its original state.
10
SHURI CASTLE
首里城
A little over a mile (2 kilometers) north of Shikina-en you'll come across one more UNESCO
World Heritage Site, which also was obliterated in 1945. Shuri Castle (
首里 城
; Shuri-jō) was
the Royal Palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom from the beginning of the 15th century until its
bombing in the Battle of Okinawa. It has been reconstructed on its original site based on pho-
tographs and historical records. Completed and opened in 1992, Shuri-jō has become one
of Japan's best known sites since its Shureimon Gate was chosen to appear on the 2000 Yen
banknote.
