Agena Castle

Architecture, patrimoine et histoire · Préfecture d'Okinawa

Agena Castle, also called Ōkawa Castle, is a gusuku set on a coral limestone mound in the north of the Agena district of Uruma, in central Okinawa Island. The Tengan River, formerly known as the Ōkawa, curves around the hill to the north and once served as a natural moat. The site, about 8,000 m², rises to 49 m and stands out for its concentric layout, rare in the archipelago: the main enclosure occupies the summit and secondary enclosures surround it on the slopes. The Ryūkyū limestone walls, which follow the natural rocks, exceed ten metres in places, and the gate between the outer and inner enclosures is an arch cut directly into the rock. Seat of the Ōkawa lords, descendants of King Eiso, the stronghold resisted the power of Shuri until 1526, when the royal army prevailed by cutting off water and supplies. Now part of Agena Central Park, it contains lordly tombs, places of worship and a bullfighting arena.