Changes

The kingdom was abolished and replaced with [[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]] in [[1872]]; the abolition of Ryûkyû ''han'' in turn and establishment of [[Okinawa prefecture]] in [[1879]] was the final nail in the coffin for the Ryûkyû Kingdom. The castle was occupied by [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Japanese forces]], specifically the [[Kumamoto Garrison]]<!--熊本鎮台分遣隊兵営-->, immediately upon being vacated by the former king and his court. The Seiden and Yosoeden became sleeping quarters for the troops, the Nanden and Shoin quarters for the officers, and the Sasunoma the commander's quarters. The Unaa plaza in front of the main hall was used for drills.<ref name=beni>"Beni no ugushiku"「紅の御城(うぐしく)へ」, ''Momoto Special Issue: Shuri, Ryûkyû no miyako o aruku'' モモト　別冊：首里・琉球の都をあるく (2013/8), 52.</ref>

The kingdom was abolished and replaced with [[Ryukyu han|Ryûkyû han]] in [[1872]]; the abolition of Ryûkyû ''han'' in turn and establishment of [[Okinawa prefecture]] in [[1879]] was the final nail in the coffin for the Ryûkyû Kingdom. The castle was occupied by [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Japanese forces]], specifically the [[Kumamoto Garrison]]<!--熊本鎮台分遣隊兵営-->, immediately upon being vacated by the former king and his court. The Seiden and Yosoeden became sleeping quarters for the troops, the Nanden and Shoin quarters for the officers, and the Sasunoma the commander's quarters. The Unaa plaza in front of the main hall was used for drills.<ref name=beni>"Beni no ugushiku"「紅の御城(うぐしく)へ」, ''Momoto Special Issue: Shuri, Ryûkyû no miyako o aruku'' モモト　別冊：首里・琉球の都をあるく (2013/8), 52.</ref>

The Kumamoto Garrison was removed from Shuri castle in [[1896]], and [[1899|three years later]], Shuri Ward petitioned the national government to convert the castle grounds into leisure space, citing the then-popular Victorian idea of the association of public leisure space with social progress. The petition argued that Okinawa Prefecture had failed to provide public leisure space in accordance with policies being implemented throughout mainland Japan, and that it would be most regrettable if the castle were to sink into further disrepair and delapidation due to abandonment. Shuri Ward requested ownership/administration of the castle grounds, but was refused. The following year, the [[Home Ministry]] agreed to sell the castle buildings to the Ward, but only leased the land for a thirty-year period, retaining control/ownership. Shuri Ward was finally permitted to buy the land outright in [[1909]].<ref name=loo/> Even so, the castle continued to fall into ever worse disrepair.<ref>Mire Koikari, “Rethinking Okinawa and Okinawan Studies: Three Perspectives. 40 Years since Reversion: Negotiating the Okinawan Difference in Japan Today," ''The Journal of Asian Studies'' 76:3 (August 2017): 796.</ref> Meanwhile, a number of schools were established on the grounds, including the Okinawa Normal School (''Okinawa shihan gakkô'') and its attached elementary school, an industrial school (''kôgyô gakkô''), and Shuri Women's Crafts School (''Shuri kuritsu joshi kôgei gakkô''), which later became Shuri Girls' High School (''Shuri kôtô jogakkô''). Several of the castle buildings themselves were used for weaving and for other courses. Another elementary school established on the site used the Kobikimon as the main entrance into the school grounds.<ref name=beni/>  

The Kumamoto Garrison was removed from Shuri castle in [[1896]], and [[1899|three years later]], Shuri Ward petitioned the national government to convert the castle grounds into leisure space, citing the then-popular Victorian idea of the association of public leisure space with social progress. The petition argued that Okinawa Prefecture had failed to provide public leisure space in accordance with policies being implemented throughout mainland Japan, and that it would be most regrettable if the castle were to sink into further disrepair and delapidation due to abandonment. Shuri Ward requested ownership/administration of the castle grounds, but was refused. The following year, the [[Home Ministry]] agreed to sell the castle buildings to the Ward, but only leased the land for a thirty-year period, retaining control/ownership. Shuri Ward was finally permitted to buy the land outright in [[1909]].<ref name=loo/> Even so, the castle continued to fall into ever worse disrepair.<ref>Mire Koikari, “Rethinking Okinawa and Okinawan Studies: Three Perspectives. 40 Years since Reversion: Negotiating the Okinawan Difference in Japan Today," ''The Journal of Asian Studies'' 76:3 (August 2017): 796.</ref> Meanwhile, a number of schools were established on the grounds, including the Okinawa Normal School (''Okinawa shihan gakkô'') and its attached elementary school, an industrial school (''kôgyô gakkô''), and Shuri Women's Crafts School (''Shuri kuritsu joshi kôgei gakkô''), which later became Shuri Girls' High School (''Shuri kôtô jogakkô'').<ref>The Normal School developed out of a ''Kaiwa denshûsho'' established in [[1880]]. It was renamed ''Okinawa shihan gakkô'' in 1943. On 31 March 1945, the 32nd Army ordered the formation of a local Imperial Blood & Iron Corps (''Tekketsu kinnôtai'') made up of male students from the school. Two months later, as the 32nd Army fled south to [[Mabuni]] in late May 1945, some of the students traveled with them. Orders were issued on June 19 to disband the Corps, but many students died even after these orders were issued. Explanatory plaques on-site outside the 32nd Army Headquarters tunnel entrance at Shurijo Castle Park.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/49599842707/sizes/h/]</ref> Several of the castle buildings themselves were used for weaving and for other courses. Another elementary school established on the site used the Kobikimon as the main entrance into the school grounds.<ref name=beni/>  

Lacking the funds to repair or maintain the castle, Shuri Ward made the difficult decision in 1923 to tear down the Seiden rather than allow it to become an even greater danger. However, a newspaper article about this decision written by [[Sueyoshi Bakumonto|Sueyoshi Ankyô]] caught the attention of ''[[mingei]]'' scholar [[Kamakura Yoshitaro|Kamakura Yoshitarô]], who enlisted the help of [[University of Tokyo|Tokyo Imperial University]] architecture professor [[Ito Chuta|Itô Chûta]], who managed to convince the head of the Bureau of Shrine Affairs (''Jinja kyoku'') within the [[Home Ministry]] (''Naimushô'') to order the demolition halted.<ref name=beni53>"Beni no ugushiku," 53.</ref>

Lacking the funds to repair or maintain the castle, Shuri Ward made the difficult decision in 1923 to tear down the Seiden rather than allow it to become an even greater danger. However, a newspaper article about this decision written by [[Sueyoshi Bakumonto|Sueyoshi Ankyô]] caught the attention of ''[[mingei]]'' scholar [[Kamakura Yoshitaro|Kamakura Yoshitarô]], who enlisted the help of [[University of Tokyo|Tokyo Imperial University]] architecture professor [[Ito Chuta|Itô Chûta]], who managed to convince the head of the Bureau of Shrine Affairs (''Jinja kyoku'') within the [[Home Ministry]] (''Naimushô'') to order the demolition halted.<ref name=beni53>"Beni no ugushiku," 53.</ref>