Okinawa Prefecture is technically comprised of hundreds of islands known as the Ryukus. However, it was 1879 before the Japan annexed the island chain and dissolved the Ryukyu kingdom which had reigned for hundreds of years prior. The palace of the kingdom is (was) in Naha, the capital of present day Okinawa. Over the past weekend I got to check it out.
Most of the Shuri castle was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa (1945) but there has been quite a bit of reconstruction, as well as preservation of what remains. The estimate is that the castle was built around 1320 and acted as the center of the Ryuku kindom for ~500 years.
The castle is just outside of the city in Naha and reminds me of many of the other sites I've been meaning to visit here. There are always signs pointing off of the highway to significant local sites...most of them I obviously won't be able to go to. But still I am going to make an effort while I am here.
That being said, I've been told mainland Japan is very different from the "island life" on Okinawa. More exploration soon!
On another note, I've been really busy with work and grad school applications. It seems like the weeks are flying by and I am running out of time to get everything done (and to see everything here :P) Can't complain too much though, reading papers on the beach isn't a bad deal.
No comments:
Post a Comment