Changes

*''Okinawan'': 今帰仁城 ''(Nachijin gusuku / Nachijin gushiku)''

*''Okinawan'': 今帰仁城 ''(Nachijin gusuku / Nachijin gushiku)''

Nakijin gusuku was the residence and administrative center of the Okinawan kingdom of [[Hokuzan]], which controlled the northern part of [[Okinawa Island]] in the [[Sanzan Period]] of the 14th-15th centuries. The fortress covers roughly 38,000 square meters - roughly the same land area as [[Shuri castle]]; double that of [[Nakagusuku gusuku]] - and is often cited as the largest of Okinawa's ''[[gusuku]]''.<ref name=kitahara>Kitahara Shûichi. ''A Journey to the Ryukyu Gusuku'' 琉球城紀行。 Naha: Miura Creative, 2003. p47.</ref>

Nakijin gusuku is traditionally said to have been the residence and administrative center of the Okinawan kingdom of [[Hokuzan]], which controlled the northern part of [[Okinawa Island]] in the [[Sanzan Period]] of the 14th-15th centuries. While recent scholarship has challenged the notion of distinct territorial states in this period, Nakijin was certainly the seat of the most powerful local lord within northern Okinawa, and from the 16th century onward remained a significant site for the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. The fortress covers roughly 38,000 square meters - roughly the same land area as [[Shuri castle]] and double that of [[Nakagusuku gusuku]] - and is often cited as the largest of Okinawa's ''[[gusuku]]''.<ref name=kitahara>Kitahara Shûichi. ''A Journey to the Ryukyu Gusuku'' 琉球城紀行。 Naha: Miura Creative, 2003. p47.</ref>

Though there had been [[anji|Lords]] of Nakijin prior to the creation of the Hokuzan kingdom, and thus some form of chiefly residence can be presumed to have been on or near the site before, it is believed that the ''gusuku'' form of Nakijin castle only emerged at the founding of the kingdom, or perhaps later; some sources give the year [[1383]] as the year that [[Haniji]], generally cited as the first king of Hokuzan, became lord of Nakijin gusuku.<ref name=kitahara/> The fortress is located atop a rocky outcropping on the northern coast of the Motobu peninsula, facing out over the South China Sea.

Though there had been [[anji|Lords]] of Nakijin prior to the early 14th century, and thus some form of chiefly residence can be presumed to have been on or near the site before, it is believed that the ''gusuku'' form of Nakijin castle only emerged sometime in the 14th century; some sources give the year [[1383]] as the year that [[Haniji]], generally cited as the first king of Hokuzan, became lord of Nakijin gusuku.<ref name=kitahara/> The fortress is located atop a rocky outcropping on the northern coast of the Motobu peninsula, facing out over the South China Sea.

The castle is separated from the main mountain mass of Motobu on the east by a steep drop into a gorge with a stream at the bottom. Another steep drop to the north and northeast from the castle drops down to the shoreline. A small harbor inlet here once served the castle, while [[Unten harbor]], the main port of the Hokuzan kingdom, lay roughly 5-6 miles to the east<ref name=kerr>Kerr, George H. ''Okinawa: the History of an Island People''. Revised Ed. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp. 61-62.</ref>.

The castle is separated from the main mountain mass of Motobu on the east by a steep drop into a gorge with a stream at the bottom. Another steep drop to the north and northeast from the castle drops down to the shoreline. A small harbor inlet here once served the castle, while [[Unten harbor]], the main port in northern Okinawa, lay roughly 5-6 miles to the east<ref name=kerr>Kerr, George H. ''Okinawa: the History of an Island People''. Revised Ed. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp. 61-62.</ref>.

The compound is divided into nine enclosures, which move up the hill from west to east. The widest enclosure, the ''ûshimi'' (J: ''ôsumi'') enclosure<!--大隅の郭-->, contains the Heirôjô<!--平郎門--> main gate of the castle, as well as areas for martial arts practice, training of horses, and a quarry. Though geographically located at what would seem to be the rear of the castle, the Heirôjô is described in the [[1713]] ''[[Ryukyu-koku yuraiki|Ryûkyû-koku yuraiki]]'' and elsewhere as the castle's main gate. Though it fell into disrepair by c. 1900, the gate was reconstructed in 1962 and serves as the main gate into the complex for visitors today.<ref name=plaques>Plaques on-site.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/47282420761/sizes/l/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/46367889655/in/photostream/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/40317885093/in/photostream/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/33406841328/sizes/h/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/32340644717/sizes/l/]</ref> Some accounts suggest that a secret passage once existed allowing besieged defenders or residents to escape to the ''ûshimi'' from inside the castle, but excavations have yet to be conducted in this area of the grounds.<ref name=plaques/>

The compound is divided into nine enclosures, which move up the hill from west to east. The widest enclosure, the ''ûshimi'' (J: ''ôsumi'') enclosure<!--大隅の郭-->, contains the Heirôjô<!--平郎門--> main gate of the castle, as well as areas for martial arts practice, training of horses, and a quarry. Though geographically located at what would seem to be the rear of the castle, the Heirôjô is described in the [[1713]] ''[[Ryukyu-koku yuraiki|Ryûkyû-koku yuraiki]]'' and elsewhere as the castle's main gate. Though it fell into disrepair by c. 1900, the gate was reconstructed in 1962 and serves as the main gate into the complex for visitors today.<ref name=plaques>Plaques on-site.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/47282420761/sizes/l/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/46367889655/in/photostream/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/40317885093/in/photostream/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/33406841328/sizes/h/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/32340644717/sizes/l/]</ref> Some accounts suggest that a secret passage once existed allowing besieged defenders or residents to escape to the ''ûshimi'' from inside the castle, but excavations have yet to be conducted in this area of the grounds.<ref name=plaques/>