Facing the rising sun to the East, the Agari-no-Azana is the highest point in Shuri-jo Castle. From here you can enjoy a view of the linear beauty of the curved walls encircling the castle.
These walls aren’t limited to just Shuri-jo; unlike Japanese castles, curved walls are a characteristic of Okinawan fortifications. These curves resemble the meandering pathway of the Great Wall of China which curves against the mountainous and undulating topography marking the boundary between China and the Korean Peninsula. It is speculated that perhaps this technique made its way to Okinawa through Asia during the era of prosperous trade.
During wartime, these beautiful and deadly curved walls allowed defenders to view their enemy through various vantage points, giving them an advantageous position to launch counterattacks. Mounted on the corners of the wall are “sumiga-shiraishi'' stones that jut out as if pointing at the heavens. While there is no consensus for why they exist, these have also become symbolic of the Ryukyuan aesthetic.
There were two different methods which were primarily used to lay the stones of Shuri-jo’s walls. First is the “nuno-zumi” method, where rectangular stones are cut and laid evenly in rows. Then there is the “aikata-zumi” method, where the stones are laid into pentagons and hexagons, fitting into one another like gears. The latter is considered a more advanced stone laying technique, and makes for durable, solid fortifications. At the time, it was a more innovative way to build stone walls. Take a moment to compare each type for yourself.
