Urasoe Castle

Urasoe Castle 浦添城
Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan
Outer walls of Urasoe Castle
Type	Gusuku
Site information
Controlled by	Chūzan (late 13th century - 1429) Ryūkyū Kingdom (1429–1879)  Empire of Japan (1879–1945) United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands(1945-1950) United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands(1950-1972)  Japan(1972-present)
Condition	Ruins
Site history
Built	late 13th – early 14th century; later expanded and refurbished
In use	late 13th century – 1609
Materials	Stone, wood, ceramic roof tiles
Demolished	1609 invasion of Ryukyu
Battles/wars	Invasion of Ryukyu (1609)
Garrison information
Occupants	Kings of Chūzan, incl. Eiso (r. 1260–1299)

Urasoe Castle (浦添城, Urasoe-jō^?, Okinawan: Urashii Gusiku) was an Okinawan castle, or gusuku, which served as the capital of the medieval Okinawan principality of Chūzan prior to the unification of the island into the Ryūkyū Kingdom, and the moving of the capital to Shuri.

In the 14th century, Urasoe was the largest castle on the island, but today only ruins remain.

The castle ruins lie behind the modern city of Urasoe, on the northern edge of Naha, today the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. It sits roughly 130-140m above sea level, and consists of two sections, arranged for the most part along a northwest-southeast axis. The Kogusuku (old castle) and Migusuku together cover an area roughly 380m long by 60-70m wide, the kogusuku being on a slightly higher rise to the east of the migusuku. A series of interconnected enclosures cross the site from east-west.

As much of the site has been extensively damaged, both historically and more recently, the overall size, layout and structure of the castle is difficult to ascertain, along with many other aspects of its history and use.

A series of four separate ramparts and palisades defended the lower portion of the castle, along with a moat that has been dated to the late 14th or early 15th century. The upper portion of the castle, like many other gusuku, was situated in such a way that it was sufficiently defended by sheer cliffs and the sea and likely lacked significant defensive walls or ramparts.

The oldest Buddhist temples in Okinawa, the Ryufuku-ji and Gokuraku-ji, are nearby, along with Urasoe yōdore, the site of the royal mausolea of several kings of Chūzan, dug directly into the cliffside.