Climb the hill road leading from the Kinjo Stone Road and you’ll pass by Shuri-jo Castle once more. This street is called “Madama-michi” and is said to have been built in the 16th century. A major thoroughfare during the Kingdom era, it was used by military forces to quickly pass between Shuri-jo and Naha Port during emergencies. From the Ishijō Gate southeast of Shurei-Mon Gate, the road passes through Shikina, Kokuba, and Madanbashi before arriving at Uruku.
By the way, did you know that, while Shuri was located on a small mountain, Naha was actually surrounded by sea during the Kingdom Era?
Looking at old maps of Naha, you can see that this western region was mostly ocean, dotted by a strait of small islands. The largest of these was called “Ukishima” and contained villages inhabited by immigrants from China as well as a reception hall for Chinese envoys. It was said that the old Harbor was the heart of Naha, serving as a center of commerce for the Ryukyuan Kingdom, and the hosting site for delegations and Shinkosen tribute ships from Imperial China.
So, how did one get to Naha in those days? You could follow the Madama-michi route, which bore south from Shuri-jo Castle through town, past a bridge that spans a few islands. You then continued to the opposite shore around modern-day Uruku, between which sat Naha Harbor and Ukishima. You could also take the Chokotei road, a one-kilometer road that has now sunk beneath the sea. In modern terms, this would be like connecting Asato city with Shuri. Incidentally, legendary Ukiyo-e woodblock artist, Hokusai Katsushika, beautifully captured the Chokotei road in his series of prints called the “Eight Views of Ryukyu.”
Modern Naha’s appearance is completely different from the old city buried beneath it. If you don’t believe us, check out the Naha Bus Terminal. There you’ll find the “Nakajima-no-Ufuishi” boulder. The bottom of the boulder is caved in due to the erosion caused by ocean waves, testifying to the fact that the area was once covered by the sea.
