Zakimi Castle Ruins | Okinawa, Japan

Living here in Okinawa has provided many opportunities to wander out and see some really amazing sights. This weekend my friend Chris and I took about a 10 minute drive from Kadena Air Base and found a really great castle ruins site. Zakimi castle ruins is located in Central Okinawa in Yomitan village and boast some spectacular views of Okinawa.

It is said that a warrior named Gosamaru united many kingdoms of Okinawa and was rewarded with Zakimi castle. More interesting is the legend that states that Zakimi castle was built by having the stones from Gosamaru’s former castle moved one by one by forming a human chain of workers. That is how you get things done!

Zakimi stands roughly 125 meters high, perfect for viewing the hills of the north, the Kerama islands and the East China sea to the west, and the central region of Okinawa to the south. During World War II it was used by the Japanese military as a missile base before being completley destroyed.

In 1972 Zakimi was recognized by the Japanese government as a National treasure; it has also been been named a UNESCO World Heritage site . It also offers great walking trails and a visitor center to stop by and have all your questions answered. So, it is definitely worth checking out.

Information

Hours: Open 24 Hours

Entrance fee: Free

Tel: (098) 958-3141

How to get there/ Directions

Take Highway 58 north towards Nago. Keep left and continue through Kadena Circle, about 4 kilometers. Turn left onto Route 12 for Zakimi. Follow the road for 1.7 kilometers, and then turn right up a steep hill. Turn right into the parking lot.

I personally enjoy Zakimi castle because it is a short drive from Kadena Air Base gate 1 and it offers some really great scenic views, not to mention it is free. Check out the Zakimi slideshow below and also my Okinawa photo section .