Nakijin Gusuku: A Sacred Site Protected by Ancient Castle Walls

Strategic Fortification and Home of the Gods

In the fourteenth century, the main island of Okinawa was ruled by three kingdoms, known from north to south as the Sanzan: Hokuzan, Chūzan, and Nanzan. Nakinjin Castle served as the residence and headquarters of the king of the northern Hokuzan kingdom, until it fell to an attack by forces from the central Chūzan kingdom in 1416. Chūzan formed a unified Ryūkyū kingdom, which it ruled from its castle at Shuri in modern Naha. Nakinjin became a peripheral outpost, extending the power of the court and protecting the north of the island from attack. In 1609, however, the castle fell again to forces from the Satsuma domain in southern Kyūshū. The castle was abandoned, and only the impressive stone walls remained. But local people continued to travel here come to visit what was now an empty site encircled by stout stone walls. For them, this remained a special place, an abode of the gods of the indigenous religion.

According to the Chūzan seikan, the official history of the Ryūkyū kingdom, these sacred places where the gods had their abodes were known as Ama-gusuku (heavenly gusuku). The word gusuku refers to a fortification surrounded by stone walls. Found in many places in Okinawa, these were believed to be places that the divinities had caused to appear on earth. Within them were sacred places known as utaki, where religious rites were held. One of the best known of all gusuku, Nakijin was revered as a holy site as well as a place of military and strategic importance. Rites and ceremonies were conducted within its imposing walls from ancient times.

The Karaukā, a sacred source of natural water that supported the religious life of the court, in which women played a central role. (© Ōsaka Hiroshi)

Places of Prayer within Rugged Castle Walls

Around the same size as Shuri Castle, Nakinjin consists of seven enclosures. The stone walls twist and curl like a writhing dragon, a design that both strengthens the fortifications and reduces vulnerabilities for defenders. The walls are made of limestone that dates back 230 million years, piled in a nearly natural state with minimal processing. From the outer walls, the undulating course of the stonework stretches hundreds of meters into the distance, creating an impressive and beautiful sight.

Passing through Heirōmon, the main gate, and climbing the stone steps, visitors emerge into the Ūmya, a broad plaza-like space. In one corner is the Karaukā, a sacred site where water seeps from a hollow in the limestone. In the past, the noro priestesses who conducted religious ceremonies used this water to purify their faces and hair before performing sacred ceremonies.

Continuing deeper into the castle grounds, we come to the main keep, which once housed the central administrative buildings. Adjacent to this is the Ūchibaru, the most sacred site within the castle, where the noro offered prayers to the gods. The utaki here, Tenchiji Aamachiji, is recorded in the Chūzan seikan as the Nakijin no kanahi yabu, a second holy place created by the ancestral goddess Amamiku after the Asumui Utaki. Even today, more than four centuries after the castle was abandoned, the site continues to attract a steady stream of pilgrims and visitors.

From the clifftop summit of the castle site, the visitor is treated to an awe-inspiring view. The sky and the vast endless ocean seem to merge as one all-encompassing whole. It is truly a fitting abode for the gods.

A large boulder inside the castle walls. (© Ōsaka Hiroshi)

(Originally published in Japanese. Text and editing by Kitazaki Jirō. Banner photo: The outermost wall of Nakijin Castle. © Ōsaka Hiroshi. With thanks to Nakijin Village Board of Education.)