Though there had been [[anji|Lords]] of Nakijin prior to the creation of the Hokuzan kingdom, and thus some form of chiefly residence can be presumed to have been on or near the site before, it is believed that the ''gusuku'' form of Nakijin castle only emerged at the founding of the kingdom, or perhaps later; some sources give the year [[1383]] as the year that Haniji, generally cited as the first king of Hokuzan, became lord of Nakijin gusuku.<ref name=kitahara/> The fortress is located on the Motobu peninsula, on a rocky outcropping, facing out over the South China Sea. | Though there had been [[anji|Lords]] of Nakijin prior to the creation of the Hokuzan kingdom, and thus some form of chiefly residence can be presumed to have been on or near the site before, it is believed that the ''gusuku'' form of Nakijin castle only emerged at the founding of the kingdom, or perhaps later; some sources give the year [[1383]] as the year that Haniji, generally cited as the first king of Hokuzan, became lord of Nakijin gusuku.<ref name=kitahara/> The fortress is located on the Motobu peninsula, on a rocky outcropping, facing out over the South China Sea. |