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The royal palace, [[Shuri castle]], faced west towards China. A major boulevard called Aijô-ufumichi (J: ''Ayamon ômichi'') extended west from the castle's main gate, the [[Shureimon]]; this boulevard was home to a number of significant sites, many of which have been restored today. These include the Chûzanmon (second gate after the Shureimon); [[Nakagusuku udun]], the Crown Prince's mansion; the royal mausoleum, [[Tamaudun]]; the Buddhist temples [[Ankokuzen-ji]] and [[Jigen-in]]; and the ''[[Uchakuya]]'', an office/residence used by the ''[[zaiban bugyo|zaiban bugyô]]'', a representative of [[Satsuma han]].<ref>Plaques on-site at Shuri castle.</ref> The grounds of the castle, along with [[Sonohyan utaki]] (a sacred site at the castle), Shikinaen, and Tamaudun, were named UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]]s in 2000, as part of a group called "Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu."

The royal palace, [[Shuri castle]], faced west towards China. A major boulevard called Aijô-ufumichi (J: ''Ayamon ômichi'') extended west from the castle's main gate, the [[Shureimon]]; this boulevard was home to a number of significant sites, many of which have been restored today. These include the Chûzanmon (second gate after the Shureimon); [[Nakagusuku udun]], the Crown Prince's mansion; the royal mausoleum, [[Tamaudun]]; the Buddhist temples [[Ankokuzen-ji]] and [[Jigen-in]]; and the ''[[Uchakuya]]'', an office/residence used by the ''[[zaiban bugyo|zaiban bugyô]]'', a representative of [[Satsuma han]].<ref>Plaques on-site at Shuri castle.</ref> The grounds of the castle, along with [[Sonohyan utaki]] (a sacred site at the castle), Shikinaen, and Tamaudun, were named UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]]s in 2000, as part of a group called "Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu."

King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] constructed a cobblestone road network known as Pearl Road (''shinju michi'') in [[1522]], connecting Shuri and a series of [[gusuku|fortresses]] built to defend the city. One section of that road, known as the [[Shuri Kinjo stone-paved road|Shuri Kinjô stone-paved road]], survives today a short distance south of the castle.<ref>''[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41691-storytopic-121.html Shuri Kinjô-chô ishitatami michi]," Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia 沖縄コンパクト事典, Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.</ref>

King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] constructed a cobblestone road network known as Pearl Road (''madama michi'') in [[1522]], connecting Shuri with Naha harbor, and with a series of [[gusuku|fortresses]] built to defend the city. One section of that road, known as the [[Shuri Kinjo stone-paved road|Shuri Kinjô stone-paved road]], survives today a short distance south of the castle. Archaeological excavations and construction work at Shuri Castle Park uncovered additional sections of the road, revealing further information as to the width and composition of the road.<ref>''[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41691-storytopic-121.html Shuri Kinjô-chô ishitatami michi]," Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia 沖縄コンパクト事典, Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.; "Hôdô shashin shû Shurijô" 報道写真集・首里城, Okinawa Times (2019), 35.</ref>

A large marketplace, called ''ufumachi'' (大市), once stood just outside the castle grounds - north of the Shureimon and west of the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan]] pond. This was the chief marketplace in Shuri, providing food and other goods to the residents. The location is today the site of Jôsei Elementary School.<ref name=pamph>"Shuri ma~i" 首里ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989. </ref> It was neighbored by a royal horse-riding grounds, the [[Matsuzaki riding grounds|Matsuzaki baba]], and by the Nakagusuku udun, the Crown Prince's mansion, which was moved from Aijô-ufumichi to that location, north of the Ryûtan, in [[1875]]. The Okinawa Prefectural Museum was later built on that site, but there are now plans to restore the mansion, as a culture & community center, by 2020. The Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts is located nearby.

A large marketplace, called ''ufumachi'' (大市), once stood just outside the castle grounds - north of the Shureimon and west of the [[Ryutan|Ryûtan]] pond. This was the chief marketplace in Shuri, providing food and other goods to the residents. The location is today the site of Jôsei Elementary School.<ref name=pamph>"Shuri ma~i" 首里ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989. </ref> It was neighbored by a royal horse-riding grounds, the [[Matsuzaki riding grounds|Matsuzaki baba]], and by the Nakagusuku udun, the Crown Prince's mansion, which was moved from Aijô-ufumichi to that location, north of the Ryûtan, in [[1875]]. The Okinawa Prefectural Museum was later built on that site, but there are now plans to restore the mansion, as a culture & community center, by 2020. The Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts is located nearby.