Ruin
Nakagusuku Castle
🇯🇵 Japan · 14th century
Nakagusuku Castle (中城城, Nakagusuku jō; Okinawan: Nakagushiku) is a Ryukyuan gusuku fortification located in the village of Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa, Japan. It is known for being the best-preserved of any gusuku ruins, and the six courtyards of this fortress with stacked stone walls make it a prime example of a gusuku. It has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1972. The designated area is 110,473 square meters, of which 14,473 square meters is the castle grounds. In November 2000, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, along with the Shuri Castle ruins and others.
Text adapted from “Nakagusuku Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nakagusuku Castle ranks #1,401 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #74 of the 297 mapped in Japan. Founded 1400, it is older than 52% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 582 atlas entries founded in the 14th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 2,660 times in the last 60 days, more than 72% of the atlas. 6 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. See how Japan compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Nakagusuku Castle?
Nakagusuku Castle stands in Japan, at 26.28389°, 127.80139°.
When was Nakagusuku Castle built?
The atlas dates its founding to 1400. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
Is Nakagusuku Castle a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes — it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, per its Wikidata entry.
How famous is Nakagusuku Castle?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #1,401 of 7,738 worldwide, and #74 in Japan. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Nakagusuku Castle?
Urasoe Castle, about 8 km away.
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