Zakimi Castle

Welcome to the magnificent Zakimi Castle, a breathtaking historical site located in the Yomitan District of Okinawa, Japan. If you have made the fifty one minute, twenty eight kilometer drive north from Naha, you are about to be…

As we depart from the parking area and begin our approach toward the castle, take a moment to observe the modern conveniences before stepping back into antiquity. You will notice an abundance of vending machines nearby. …

We have now arrived at the magnificent entrance to the outer wall, which guards the Second Enclosure, known in the local tongue as Ni-no-kaku. Standing before this towering structure, you are looking at a true masterpiece of…

You have now crossed the threshold and are standing inside the Second Enclosure, or Ni-no-kaku. Look around at the breathtaking expanse of this courtyard. …

We are now walking along the pathway that leads from the Second Enclosure toward the entrance of the First Enclosure. As you follow the wall, you will immediately notice something unusual. …

You have survived the winding defensive path and now stand before the entrance to the First Enclosure, the heart of the castle, known as Ichi-no-kaku. Before you can pass through the second magnificent arch gate, you must climb a…

Welcome to the Ichi-no-kaku, the First Enclosure. This was the absolute core of Zakimi Castle. …

We now approach the climax of our physical journey through the castle ruins. Make your way to the back of the Seiden foundation stones. …

After carefully descending the stone stairs from the wall summit, it is time to slowly make our way out of the ancient enclosures. We will exit back through the archways, retracing our steps through the vast courtyards and the…

As our tour of Zakimi Castle comes to an end, take one final look back up the hill toward the ancient stone walls peeking through the canopy of Ryukyu pines. You have just walked through a masterpiece of fifteenth-century…