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. 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>

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 at the castle's [[Kanahyan utaki]] 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/>

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/>