Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
All that remains of Nakijin Castle, perched on an isolated, rocky outcrop at the northernmost tip of Ok-
inawa, are its encircling walls.
Nakijin Castle (
今帰仁城
; Nakijin Gusuku) is the northernmost
gusuku
on Okinawa Is-
land. Like the others we've seen, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From its remaining
encircling walls, it appears to have been a very large complex. The standing ramparts are im-
pressive, but what is perhaps most striking is the palpable impression of isolation. Whatever
grandeur the fortress may have had, its perch on a rocky outcrop-ping surrounded on almost
all sides by steep, vertical drops, including one to the sea, give it a sense almost of emptiness.
Even the panoramic view over the East China Sea seems windswept and cold. Yet up until the
time Nakijin Castle reached the zenith of its power in the early 1400s, it was evidently a great
place of worship. Several
utaki
(
御嶽
; lit. “sacred place” in Okinawan) sites of worship have
been unearthed by archeologists in the fortress.
Recall that the most sacred
utaki
on Okinawa is the Seifa Utaki on the Chinen Peninsula
in southern Okinawa. What makes these places holy, what forms of early Shinto worship
their believers may have practiced, seems so alien, so lost in the fog of time and the distance
of history. It seems wholly disconnected. Maybe not to everyone, but to this visitor the castle
seemed occupied only by ghosts—and none too benevolent, like the spirits of souls unas-
suaged.
7
UNTEN PORT
運天港
From the castle we'll retrace our steps back three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) to the north
coast loop road (Route 505), then continue east 4 more miles (6 more kilometers) to Nakijin
Village (
今帰仁村
; Nakijinson). There's nothing in particular that we're seeking here, it's just
a little village, but it's the nearest point of reference to where we're headed. Approximately 3
miles (5 kilometers) further east (for there are a number of little roads taking you there) is the
port of Unten (
運天港
; Unten-kō). Two ferry services sail out of here daily, one to the island
of Izena (
伊是名島
; Izéna-jima), the other to Iheya (
伊平屋島
; Ihéya-jima). These lovely twin
isles are 20 and 25 miles (32 and 40 kilometers) by sea due north respectively and are covered
below in the Okinawa-shotō (surrounding islands) chapters.
