Shuri Castle: Naha Okinawa - The Red-Lacquered Heart of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Rising Again from the Ashes

Step inside one of Japan's most distinctive landmarks on this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, as we climb the hill in Naha to explore Shuri Castle - the vermillion-red palace of the seafaring Ryukyu Kingdom. We walk the full ceremonial approach, from the iconic Shureimon gate once printed on the 2,000-yen note, past a sacred World Heritage stone gate, through the welcome gate and its shisa guardians, alongside the dragon-spout Ryuhi spring, and up through the inner gates to the striped main courtyard. We stand before the Seiden main hall - destroyed by fire in 2019 and now in the midst of an extraordinary public reconstruction, with its exterior unveiled in 2025 and full reopening planned for autumn 2026 - and take in the sweeping sea view from the eastern viewing platform.Along the way we share where to eat nearby: classic Okinawa soba at Shuri Soba and Ukaji Soba, refined Ryukyuan cuisine at Sui Dunchi, casual taco rice at PICO by the monorail, and traditional sweets and tea at the Shuri Castle Teahouse. We also point you toward nearby gems including the historic Kinjo-cho stone-paved road, the royal mausoleum of Tamaudun, the garden villa of Shikina-en, and the centuries-old Ryutan pond.Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.