Reconstruction in progress- Naha’s Shuri Castle

After visiting Okinawa for so many times for work and travel , I would say that Shuri Castle should be on every visitor’s itinerary even if you only have one day in Naha.

In my recent trip back to Okinawa, I made a point to revisit this 500 years old castle eventhough it is currently being rebuilt after the fire from 2019. This UNESCO graded castle is situated in the city center of Naha, and only 10-15 minutes by car ( without traffic jam!) .

We visited on a Sunday morning in early June and there were not a lot of people and plenty of parking spaces within 5 minutes walk to the castle premise. Nonetheless June is already very hot and humid in Okinawa, so hats, fan or any type of cooling device, and sunscreen are essential!

The main hall was burnt down in October 2019, but reconstruction has been ongoing in the past 5 years and now nearly complete. Visitors can go up a few flights of stairs to see the reconstruction up close. This work is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.

The rest of the castle ground unaffected by the fire is still opened to visitors, including the castle wall, the garden, and the ruins of the bath( with some imagination 😂).

I look forward to coming back in 2026!!

#shuricastle #okinawa #naha #japansummer

Post by Curious Traveller | Aug 24, 2025