Gushikawa Castle (Itoman)

Architecture, patrimoine et histoire · Préfecture d'Okinawa

Gushikawa Castle in Itoman is a small gusuku clinging to a coastal cliff in the Kyan district, at the southern tip of Okinawa Island. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the site measures only about 83 m east to west and 33 m north to south. The first enclosure, the main bailey, juts out like a peninsula above the waves and has yielded traces of buildings; the main gate, facing inland, retains courses of cut stone. A tradition recorded in 1743 links this castle to its namesake on Kumejima: the lord Makanegoe, driven from Kume Island by a rival, is said to have fled to the south of the main island and founded a fortress bearing the same name. Chinese celadon and white porcelain found on site date its occupation from the late 12th to the mid-15th century. The site is known for the Hyūfuchimi, a fissure in the second enclosure that connects to the sea and spouts water with the tides.