October 31, 2019

Shuri Castle, Okinawa, burned down

Sadly enough, Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa was destroyed by fire in the night of 31st October.

Main Hall in 2017. Photo: Daniel
Main Hall in 2017. Photo: Daniel

Sadly enough, Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa was destroyed by fire in the night of 31st October.

The castle was the heart of the old Ryukyu Kingdom which managed to keep some form if independence between China and Japan for centuries, until finally being annexed by its larger neighbor in the 19th century.

The castle would have had a top spot on our Okinawa checklist, together with the whole of Naha. Though we guess that it will eventually be rebuilt, but even then it’ll be many years before it can receive visitors again.


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