Uegusuku Castle

Architecture, patrimoine et histoire · Préfecture d'Okinawa

Perched on the summit of Mount Uegusuku, the highest point of Kumejima island at about 310 metres above sea level, Uegusuku Castle is the highest gusuku in the whole Okinawa archipelago. This Ryukyuan fortress, built during the so-called Gusuku period, served as the base for controlling the island, which lies about a hundred kilometres west of Okinawa's main island. Tradition attributes its foundation to Kume Nakagusuku Aji, eldest son of Chinaha Aji; the site was ruined in the early 16th century, when Kumejima was integrated into the kingdom unified under King Shō Shin. The enclosures are terraced along the ridge: the first court occupies the highest point to the east, the second lies one level lower to the west, and three further enclosures and terraces descend the slope. The walls are built of slabs of local andesite, with cut coral limestone appearing only around the gate of the first enclosure. Excavations have yielded many Chinese ceramics, including tenmoku bowls linked to tea drinking. Designated a National Historic Site in 2009, the site offers a panorama over the entire island.