Changes

In a less inner enclosure, located at a somewhat lower elevation, were four wooden structures, including both administrative buildings and residences for certain of the castle's closest vassals<ref name=kerr/>. As was typical of ''gusuku'' construction at this time, the stonework of the walls was very solid, but quite rough, with a relative lack of precision fitting or fine cutting<ref name=kerr/>. Roughly 1500 meters of limestone castle wall remain today<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-42403-storytopic-121.html Nakijin-jô-seki]." ''Okinawa Konpakuto Jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003. Accessed 29 September 2009.</ref>; stones are piled three to eight meters high, and two to three meters thick. A deep valley cut by the Shijima River which runs behind the castle makes it almost entirely unapproachable from that side.<ref name=kitahara/>

In a less inner enclosure, located at a somewhat lower elevation, were four wooden structures, including both administrative buildings and residences for certain of the castle's closest vassals<ref name=kerr/>. As was typical of ''gusuku'' construction at this time, the stonework of the walls was very solid, but quite rough, with a relative lack of precision fitting or fine cutting<ref name=kerr/>. Roughly 1500 meters of limestone castle wall remain today<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-42403-storytopic-121.html Nakijin-jô-seki]." ''Okinawa Konpakuto Jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003. Accessed 29 September 2009.</ref>; stones are piled three to eight meters high, and two to three meters thick. A deep valley cut by the Shijima River which runs behind the castle makes it almost entirely unapproachable from that side.<ref name=kitahara/>

The castle saw three generations of rulers before being attacked and seized by the armies of Chûzan in [[1416]]. So-called "[[Warden of the North|wardens of the North]]" (''Hokuzan kanshu'') appointed by the royal government beginning in [[1422]] would continue to make their residence there for several centuries afterwards. The castle was burned down by invading armies from [[Satsuma han]] in [[1609]],<ref name=pamph>Pamphlets available on-site.</ref> and though rebuilt to some extent, and briefly restored to use by the ''Hokuzan kanshu'', the post was abolished in [[1665]] and the castle left to ruin.<ref name=kitahara/>

The castle saw three generations of rulers before being attacked and seized by the armies of Chûzan in [[1416]]. So-called "[[Warden of the North|wardens of the North]]" (''Hokuzan kanshu'') appointed by the royal government beginning in [[1422]] would continue to make their residence there for several centuries afterwards. Though these ''Hokuzan kanshu'' are generally regarded as serving a political and military strategic purpose in holding the north for the kingdom, [[Gregory Smits]] suggests that even more so than those considerations, their primary purpose was in facilitating the maintenance of particular spiritual rites by the [[Aoriyae]] priestesses, whose rites at Nakijin mirrored and complemented those performed at [[Sonohyan utaki]] at Shuri.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 96-97.</ref>

 

Nakijin castle was burned down by invading armies from [[Satsuma han]] in [[1609]],<ref name=pamph>Pamphlets available on-site.</ref> and though rebuilt to some extent, and briefly restored to use by the ''Hokuzan kanshu'', the post was abolished in [[1665]] and the castle left to ruin.<ref name=kitahara/>

As a tourist site, the ruins are particularly known for the beautiful view out over the South China Sea, for the impressive grandeur of the castle walls, and for the overall amount of space taken up by the castle grounds<ref name=kadekawa>Kadekawa, Manabu. "Nakijin-jô-seki." ''Okinawa Chanpurû Jiten'' (沖縄チャンプルー事典, "Okinawa Champloo Encyclopedia"). Tokyo: Yamatokei Publishers, 2003. p55.</ref>. Hokuzan in general was characterized by wider spaces, or at least less dense settlement and population, than [[Nanzan]] and [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], the other kingdoms on the island at that time. Nakijin is also consistently among the first places in the country to see, and celebrate, the ''sakura'' blooming each year<ref name=kadekawa/>.

As a tourist site, the ruins are particularly known for the beautiful view out over the South China Sea, for the impressive grandeur of the castle walls, and for the overall amount of space taken up by the castle grounds<ref name=kadekawa>Kadekawa, Manabu. "Nakijin-jô-seki." ''Okinawa Chanpurû Jiten'' (沖縄チャンプルー事典, "Okinawa Champloo Encyclopedia"). Tokyo: Yamatokei Publishers, 2003. p55.</ref>. Hokuzan in general was characterized by wider spaces, or at least less dense settlement and population, than [[Nanzan]] and [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], the other kingdoms on the island at that time. Nakijin is also consistently among the first places in the country to see, and celebrate, the ''sakura'' blooming each year<ref name=kadekawa/>.