This post was written in 2008. Some information may be out of date.
Shuri Castle is Okinawa’s famous castle. It’s something like Gyeongbokgung Palace is to Seoul, so you could fairly call it Okinawa’s signature sight. Unlike typical Japanese castles, it has a Chinese look. Part of it seems to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, too.
Looking down over the city from near Shuri Castle
It’s pretty big. For a small island, it’s really developed. Honestly, before coming to Okinawa I had no idea it would be like this. There were so many people.
The castle’s main gate
The architecture has a different feel from the mainland.
It’s a weekday, so there aren’t many people around.
This is the inside of Shuri Castle. It looks great, but they wanted 800 yen to go in, so I just looked from outside. Way too expensive for what’s basically a small courtyard.
The city seen from the castle’s lookout