Visiting Nakagusuku Castle

About Nakagusuku Castle

These 15th-century ruins have some of the finest stonework of any Ryukyu castle, with curved limestone walls in three building styles laid out over six enclosures on a ridge. From the walls you can see both the East China Sea and the Pacific. It is UNESCO-listed.

Tip: Visit in the late afternoon for soft light on the walls and fewer visitors.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 1 hour.
• Cost: Low cost.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Okinawa City (Koza), former base town of live-music bars, Gate 2 Street and Eisa drumming.

Best time to visit Nakagusuku Castle

To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:

• November: 25°C (77°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds.
• October: 28°C (82°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• April: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds.

For the view at golden hour: in mid-November the sun sets at about 17:40 local time (calculated for Okinawa).

When to visit Okinawa has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Nakagusuku Castle is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and Shuri Castle.

• No. 10 of the 18 sights in our Okinawa things-to-do list.
• Day 5 of the 5-day plan.
• One of the picks in historic sites in Okinawa.

If you like Nakagusuku Castle

• Shuri Castle — Naha (Kokusai-dori), 2 hours
• Okinawa Peace Memorial Park — Nanjo and the south, 2 hours
• Nakijin Castle — Motobu Peninsula, 1 hour
• Zakimi Castle — Yomitan, 45 minutes

Staying near Nakagusuku Castle

Stay in Okinawa City (Koza) ($) to walk here: former base town of live-music bars, Gate 2 Street and Eisa drumming. All areas to stay in Okinawa.

Questions travellers ask