Shikinaen

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About Shikinaen

Shikinaen was the Ryukyuan royal family’s retreat, built in the late 18th century about 3 km south of Shuri Castle. It was also used to receive envoys from the Chinese emperor, who came to Okinawa to confirm each new king. The garden follows the Japanese stroll-garden model around a pond, but includes Chinese elements such as the hexagonal pavilion on the islet and the arched stone bridges.

The circular path goes around the pond, surrounded by subtropical trees, and passes a spring with a commemorative plaque brought by a Chinese envoy. The main wooden residence, with a red-tiled roof, has several tatami rooms opening onto the garden. The building is intentionally rustic to resemble a country house. The pond is fed by a spring, and the water flows through a small stone channel to the rice paddies that once surrounded the site.

The place was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and restored between 1975 and 1996 based on plans and photographs. It is part of the “Sites of the Ryukyu Kingdom” inscribed by UNESCO in 2000 and receives fewer visitors than Shuri Castle.

The grounds are tranquil and partly shaded along the route, with views of the red roofs reflected in the pond. You can enter the residence barefoot and sit on the verandas. In autumn and winter the garden is usually greener and less hot, and the birds that live on the pond appear more frequently.