An “utaki” is a place of worship. That being said, the stone gate of Sonohyan-utaki is not technically an utaki. Behind the stone wall lies a forest. The open area covered by trees is actually where the utaki lies. During the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom it was said that the forest itself was more dense and the stone gate represented the boundary between this area and the area beyond it.

The words hanging on the stone walls were hung in 1519 when the walls were built. “Shurijo Castle was built by Sho Shin.”

These words, written in a mix of Japanese and Chinese are the epitome of the Ryukyuan culture, a melting pot of language where you can feel the influence of both countries that has been steeping for years.

The stone gate is as detailed as a wood carving, but it also appears to be surreal and ever-changing, attesting to the highly skilled Ryukyuan stoneworkers. Using stone as the material may convey the wish to ensure that this wall lasts forever.

However, even this wall too was destroyed during the war.

Most of the current structure of the wall has been rebuilt, but we would like you to draw your attention to the top left portion of the rooftop. Did you notice that it is chipped? This portion of the roof was found in the pile of rubble left after the war and was reconstructed into what you see before you. Here a piece of the pre-war structure is preserved.