Shikinaen
- Other Names: 南苑 (nan'en)
- Japanese: 識名園 (shikinaen)
Shikinaen ("Shikina Gardens") is a historic site in Naha, Okinawa, a former Ryukyuan royal villa. On account of its location a short distance south of the main royal palace at Shuri, Shikinaen is also known as Nan'en ("Southern Gardens").
The complex is said to have been built to host welcoming receptions for Chinese investiture envoys. The garden, complete with a red-tile-roofed palace hall, a pond with a small island in it, and a Chinese-style stone bridge, received enthusiastic praise from Chinese visitors.
The garden has two gates - a main gate (正門, seimon) used exclusively by Chinese envoys and members of the royal family, and a smaller side gate (通用門, tsûyômon) used chiefly by the staff. Both are constructed in the yaajô (屋門) style, with red ceramic tile roofs; construction in this style was restricted to the upper classes.
A small guardhouse, or banya (番屋), housed royal guards who guarded the complex.
Shikinaen was supplied with fresh water by a spring called Ikutokusen (育徳泉), surrounded by walls of Ryukyuan limestone in the aikata-zumi style. A pair of stone stele were erected next to the shrine by the chief envoys of two Chinese investiture missions - Zhao Wenkai in 1800, and Lin Hongnian in 1838 - reading, respectively, Itokusen and kanrei enrei (甘醴延齢, sweet saké, long life). These were severely damaged in World War II, but have been restored.
The garden & villa were destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but have been rebuilt, and are now administered by the City of Naha. It is a nationally-designated "site of scenic beauty," and was designated a World Heritage Site in 2000 alongside a number of other sites, comprising the collective World Heritage Site "Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu."
References
- "Shikinaen." Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia 沖縄コンパクト事典. Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003.
- Plaques on-site.
External Links
- Shikinaen on Google Maps - explorable within the gardens as well
