Originally built in the 14th century, this reconstructed castle served as the administrative heart and royal residence of the Ryukyu Kingdom until the 19th century. You'll enter through the Kankai-mon gate and ascend to the Hoshin-mon, the gateway to the inner sanctum, before reaching the Seiden main hall with its exhibits on the castle and Okinawan royals. The architecture is distinctly not-Japanese — vermillion pillars, dragon carvings, Chinese-influenced curves — a vivid reminder that this was once an entirely separate country. The 2019 fire devastated the main hall, but reconstruction is underway and the site remains deeply moving.