Zakimi gusuku
- Japanese: 座喜味城 (Zakimi gusuku)
Zakimi gusuku is a Ryukyuan fortress, or "gusuku," built on a hill above Yomitan Village.
The fortress is located one hundred meters above sea level on Kunisaki-maaji Hill, and covers roughly 6800 square meters. It is believed to have been built by Gosamaru in the 15th century.
The fortress consists of two baileys, enclosed in winding stone walls. The upper, northern enclosure provides a view of the Kerama Islands, Kumejima, Iejima, and Iheya Island. It is connected to the lower, southern enclosure by a gate facing east-southeast; another gate facing south-southwest out of the second enclosure is the only entrance/exit to the fortress. Archaeological remains indicate, however, that there may have been as many as five other enclosures.
As at many other gusuku sites, excavations reveal the remains of a variety of ceramics, including both Chinese and Ryukyuan objects, ranging from porcelains, to green and white celadons, and nanbanyaki.
References
- Kitahara Shûichi 北原秋一. A Journey to the Ryukyu Gusuku 琉球城紀行. Miura Creative, 2003. p39.
