Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-05 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Nakijin Castle, in the village of Nakijin in northern Okinawa, was a Ryūkyūan gusuku fortification, also known as Hokuzan Castle. In the late 14th century the island of Okinawa was divided into three principalities — Nanzan in the south, Chūzan in the centre and Hokuzan in the north — and Nakijin was the capital of Hokuzan and this castle the seat of its king.
It has been a National Historic Site since 1972, and in November 2000 it was registered as a World Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, together with the Shuri Castle ruins and others.
We have not checked opening hours, fees or a public-transport route, so plan the journey on the map and look for local information before you go.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Nakijin Okinawa Japan Nakikjin-Castle-01 — CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Nakijin Okinawa Japan Nakikjin-Castle-10 — CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Nakijin Okinawa Japan Nakikjin-Castle-02 — CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Nakijin-keshiki — Vihiqebia (uploader on Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Nakijin Okinawa Japan Nakikjin-Castle-11 — CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 今帰仁城跡 (Nakijin Castle Site) 23 Jul, 2011 - panoramio — Hiroaki Kaneko · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 今帰仁城跡 20130205 - panoramio — 690 Noda · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 今帰仁城跡 平郎門 — Kazuhiro Tsugita · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Nakijin Castle (今帰仁城, Nakijin Gusuku; Kunigami: Nachijin Gushiiku, Okinawan: Nachijin Gushiku) was a Ryūkyūan gusuku fortification located in the village of Nakijin, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was also known as Hokuzan Castle or Hokuzangusuku. It has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1972.In November 2000, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, along with the Shuri Castle ruins and others. In the late 14th century, the island of Okinawa consisted of three principalities: Nanzan to the south, Chūzan in the central area, and Hokuzan in the north. Nakijin was the capital of Hokuzan and Nakijin Castle was the seat of the King of Hokuzan.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-05 · ご利用案内｜世界遺産 今帰仁城跡(公式サイト) · 世界遺産 今帰仁城跡(公式サイト)
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
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