Uchaya udun

• Built: 1677
• Other Names: 東苑 (touen, higashi no sono)
• Japanese: 御茶屋御殿 (uchaya udun)

Uchaya udun (lit. "teahouse palace") was a "detached palace" of the Ryukyuan royalty. As it was located in the eastern part of the Shuri castle compound, it was often alternatively known simply as "the eastern garden."

It is said to have first been built in 1677 by King Shô Tei, as a place to entertain visiting envoys from China and Satsuma han. The garden was in a distinctively Ryukyuan style, and included a viewing tower and tearoom. It was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, but efforts to petition to have it rebuilt continue.

References

• "Uchaya udun," Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia, Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.