Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-09-14 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
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Our guide
Shuri Castle was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 to 1879, a gusuku in the historic Shuri district of Naha. It was almost completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and afterwards became a university campus; from 1992 the central citadel and walls were largely rebuilt on the original site, from historical records, photographs and people's memories. Since 2000 it has been part of the World Heritage Site of Ryukyu gusuku and related sites.
There is news for anyone planning ahead: the main hall is due to open to the public on 23 November 2026, and from then entry to the paid area costs more and seeing inside the main hall needs a timed reservation, at no extra charge. Shuri Station is about 650 m away in a straight line.
Right beside it are Sonohyan-utaki (about 0.2 km) and Shureimon (0.3 km); Shikina-en is about 1.5 km off, and Kokusai-dori about 3.2 km.
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
- Naha Okinawa Japan Shuri-Castle-01 — CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 100927 Shuri Cstl aerial — 国土交通省国土地理院 · Attribution · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Benzaiten-dō, Shurijō Park 円覚寺跡DSCF8735 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Benzaiten-dō, Shurijō Park 首里城公園弁財天堂 DSCF8720 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Shuri Castle,Naha,Okinawa 首里城久慶門（沖縄県那覇市）DSCF8643 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Shuri Castle,Naha,Okinawa 首里城正殿（沖縄県那覇市 ）DSCF8671 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Shuri Castle,Naha,Okinawa 首里城正殿（沖縄県那覇市 ）DSCF8697 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2014-02-28 Shuri Castle,Naha,Okinawa 首里城（沖縄県那覇市 ）DSCF8653 — 松岡明芳 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Shuri Castle (首里城) is a Ryukyuan gusuku castle in the historic Shuri district of Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed. The site of Shuri Castle has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1972.After the war, the castle was re-purposed as a university campus. Beginning in 1992, the central citadel and walls were largely reconstructed on the original site based on historical records, photographs, and memory. In 2000, Shuri Castle was designated as a World Heritage Site, as a part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
Visitor information checked: 2026-09-14 · Shurijo Castle Park: admission fees · Shurijo Castle Park: opening hours
Background text adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Nearby station
Nearby station: Shuri, about 650 m from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
Where to stay nearby
Hotels near Shurijo Castle on Agoda
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