Castles are built out of necessity.

At 170 meters above sea level rests the First Compound on the highest point of the castle. It is the ideal location for surveying the movement of Katsuren Castle. But this is not the only thing to see here. If you look out from this vantage point, you can look out upon the whole island. Just look at the next picture coming up.

Not only can you observe Katsuren Castle and Shuri Castle, but you can also see other famous sites such as Zakimi Castle, Nagijin Village, Saikano Utaki, and Kudaka-jima Island. One could say you can see all of Okinawa’s cultural heritage spots in one place.

Inside of the first compound, you can also find the main building of Nakagusuku. Here, we would like to draw your attention to the raised platform. This is where Gosamaru was said to have spent most of his time. In front of this raised area is where feists and important ceremonies would be held.

Unlike the castles of mainland Japan, the castle compounds are built inside of the castle walls in Okinawa, rather than on top of the castle walls. In this castle, you can also see many Chinese influences like the naming of the sections of the castle and the walls which are similar to the curved walls of the Great Wall of China. With over 300 different castle fortresses on the island each has their own unique characteristics. Some of these characteristics you just have to see with your own two eyes.