Changes

The path into the castle is never straight, the gates often situated at right angles to one another, in theory slowing an invading army and leaving attackers quite open to fire from defenders, stationed in the wooden gate structures and armed with Chinese-style firearms or bows & arrows. [[Stephen Turnbull]] notes, however, that the gates, and castle walls in general, lacked loopholes or other defensive features for defenders to hide behind. All in all, when the castle was invaded by Satsuma samurai in 1609, it fell quite quickly.

The path into the castle is never straight, the gates often situated at right angles to one another, in theory slowing an invading army and leaving attackers quite open to fire from defenders, stationed in the wooden gate structures and armed with Chinese-style firearms or bows & arrows. [[Stephen Turnbull]] notes, however, that the gates, and castle walls in general, lacked loopholes or other defensive features for defenders to hide behind. All in all, when the castle was invaded by Satsuma samurai in 1609, it fell quite quickly.

The next gate after the Zuisenmon is the Rôkokumon, or "Water Clock Gate", the final stone gate, which leads to a small plaza where a replica of the famous [[Bridge of Nations Bell]] is today kept inside a small structure called the Tomoya.

The next gate after the Zuisenmon is the Rôkokumon, or "Water Clock Gate", the final stone gate, which leads to a small plaza where a replica of the famous [[Bridge of Nations Bell]] is today kept inside a small structure called the Tomoya. The Rôkokumon, constructed in the 15th century, was as far as aristocrats came in their palanquins; in respect to the king, they would alight here. A tank of water was held in the wooden structure atop the gate; as water leaked out, guards charged with watching the water level determined the time and communicated it by beating a ''[[taiko]]'' drum; guards in the nearby Uekimon would then transmit the message further by ringing a bronze bell<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Rôkokumon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>. A sundial was installed nearby in 1739, and gradually came to replace the water clock<ref>"Shisetsu annai: hieidai." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

===Shicha-nu-Unâ===

===Shicha-nu-Unâ===

[[Image:Suimui utaki.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Suimui utaki (首里森御嶽)]]

[[Image:Suimui utaki.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Suimui utaki (首里森御嶽)]]

[[Image:Hoshinmon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hôshinmon (奉神門)]]

[[Image:Hoshinmon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hôshinmon (奉神門)]]

The Kôfukumon, a large, vermillion wooden structure which housed administrative offices<ref name=Turnbull44/>, leads finally into the ''shicha-nu-unâ'' (下之御庭), an area equivalent to what would be called the second bailey in English or ''ni-no-maru'' in a Japanese castle.

The Kôfukumon, a large, vermillion wooden structure leads finally into the ''shicha-nu-unâ'' (下之御庭), an area equivalent to what would be called the second bailey in English or ''ni-no-maru'' in a Japanese castle. The offices of the ''jishaza'' (寺社座), which oversaw Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and the ''ôkumiza'' (大与座) which mediated disputes between aristocrats, were housed here<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Kôfukumon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

The ''shicha-nu-unâ'' contains the　"Shuri forest ''[[utaki]]''", or [[Suimui utaki]], a sacred grove surrounded by its own low stone walls.

The ''shicha-nu-unâ'' contains the　"Shuri forest ''[[utaki]]''", or [[Suimui utaki]], a sacred grove surrounded by its own low stone walls, which features in myths about the origins of the kingdom, and appears numerous times in the ''[[Omoro Soshi|Omoro Sôshi]]'', a collection of Okinawan myths in the form of songs or poems.

Another large, vermillion wooden gate, the Hôshinmon, leads into the central bailey, or ''unâ'' (J: ''honmaru'').

Another large, vermillion wooden gate, the Hôshinmon, leads into the central bailey, or ''unâ'' (J: ''honmaru''). Completed some time before 1562, the gate was overhauled in 1754 to better follow Chinese models. The structure was used as storage for documents and materials related to musical entertainments, tobacco, tea and the like, and for rituals and ceremonies; today, it serves as the central administrative office of the heritage site & public park. Of the three gateways in the Hôshinmon structure, use of the central one was restricted to the king, Chinese imperial envoys, and others of similar rank<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Hôshinmon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

===Unâ===

===Unâ===

The two-story Nanden (南殿), or "South Hall," on one size of the plaza, is known as the ''Hae-no-udun'' (南風御殿) in Okinawan. It and the one-story Bandokoro (番所) attached to it are Japanese-style structures which housed Satsuma officials and Japanese-style ceremonies. Records indicate it was first built in the 1620s, though archaeological excavations have discovered earlier foundations. There do not appear to be any records of it ever having been painted and so, in accordance with one school of Japanese traditional architectural customs, it remains composed primarily of bare wood. The two buildings today include exhibition spaces, where artifacts related to the castle and the royal family are put on display<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Nanden / Bandokoro." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

The two-story Nanden (南殿), or "South Hall," on one size of the plaza, is known as the ''Hae-no-udun'' (南風御殿) in Okinawan. It and the one-story Bandokoro (番所) attached to it are Japanese-style structures which housed Satsuma officials and Japanese-style ceremonies. Records indicate it was first built in the 1620s, though archaeological excavations have discovered earlier foundations. There do not appear to be any records of it ever having been painted and so, in accordance with one school of Japanese traditional architectural customs, it remains composed primarily of bare wood. The two buildings today include exhibition spaces, where artifacts related to the castle and the royal family are put on display<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Nanden / Bandokoro." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

The Hokuden (北殿), or "North Hall," facing it across the plaza, is a more Chinese-style structure, which housed visiting Chinese officials and Chinese-style ceremonies, and was the site of the chief administrative offices of the royal government. Commodore Perry was also entertained and banqueted here on two occasions when he forced his way into the castle.

The Hokuden (北殿), or "North Hall," facing the Nanden across the plaza, is known as the ''Nishi-no-udun'' (北之御殿) in Okinawan. Built around 1506-1521, it is a structure more Chinese in style, which housed visiting Chinese officials and Chinese-style ceremonies and, as the site of the chief administrative offices of the royal government, was on an average day the busiest and most active building in the compound. Commodore Perry was also entertained and banqueted here on two occasions when he forced his way into the castle. Like the Nanden, the Hokuden today contains exhibition space devoted to material related to the castle, the royal family, and the kingdom's relationship with China<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Hokuden." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

A pair of buildings to the south of the Nanden, on the opposite side of that hall from the central plaza, served as administrative buildings and spaces for meeting with and entertaining [[Chinese investiture envoys]] and officials from Satsuma. The ''shoin'' or "study", and ''kusari-no-ma'', as they would have been called in Japanese, were also used by the royal princes as secondary studies, and for other everyday purposes<ref>"Shisetsu annai: shoin / kusari no ma." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.

A pair of buildings to the south of the Nanden, on the opposite side of that hall from the central plaza, served as administrative buildings and spaces for meeting with and entertaining [[Chinese investiture envoys]] and officials from Satsuma. The ''shoin'' or "study", and ''kusari-no-ma'', as they would have been called in Japanese, were also used by the royal princes as secondary studies, and for other everyday purposes<ref>"Shisetsu annai: shoin / kusari no ma." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.