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{{Infobox military installation
|name=Zakimi Castle<br>座喜味城
|partof=
|location=Yomitan, Okinawa
|image=Zakimigusuku.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Zakimi Castle
|open_to_public=yes
|type=''[[Gusuku]]''
|coordinates ={{coord|26|24|29.3|N|127|44|31.9|E|region:JP-47_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
|built=1416-1422
|builder=Gosamaru
|materials=Ryukyuan limestone, wood
|height=
|used=1422–
|demolished=
|condition=Ruins, partially restored
|ownership=
|controlledby=
|garrison=
|commanders=
|occupants=Gosamaru, Aji of Yomitan Magiri
|battles=
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
  |child = yes
  |ID = 972
  |Year = 2000
  |Criteria = Cultural: ii, iii, vi
  }}
|map_type = Japan Okinawa Prefecture#Japan
|map_size = 
|map_caption = Zakimi Castle
|map_relief = 1
|footnotes    = {{box|background=white|align=center|wide=yes|border size=3px|border color=brown|text align=center|[[Monuments of Japan|National Historic Site of Japan]]}}{{maplink2|type=point|frame=yes|plain=yes|zoom=14|frame-align=center|frame-width=200|coord={{coord|26|24|29.3|N|127|44|31.9|E}}}}}}

{{nihongo|'''Zakimi Castle'''|座喜味城|Zakimi jō|[[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''Zachimi Gushiku''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ryukyu-lang.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/srnh/details.php?ID=SN17232|title=ジャチミ|website=首里・那覇方言音声データベース|language=ja|access-date=2019-11-04|archive-date=2020-02-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211184623/http://ryukyu-lang.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/srnh/details.php?ID=SN17232|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} is a  is a [[Ryūkyū Kingdom|Ryūkyūan]] ''[[gusuku]]'' fortification located in the village of [[Yomitan, Okinawa|Yomitan]], [[Okinawa Prefecture]], Japan.  It has been protected by the central government as a [[Historic Sites of Japan|National Historic Site]] since 1972.<ref name= "Bunka1">{{cite web|url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/173575|title=座喜味跡 |work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 December 2016}}</ref> It is in ruins, but the walls and foundations have been restored. In 2000, Zakimi Castle was designated as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]], as a part of the [[Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu]].<ref name="nipponika">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia Nipponica]]|title=Katsuren-jō|year=2001|publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu — World Heritage List Nomination Cultural Property| publisher = Agency for Cultural Affairs | year = 2000 | url = https://whc.unesco.org/p_dynamic/sites/passfile.cfm?filename=972&filetype=pdf&category=nominations | accessdate = 2009-08-01}}</ref>

==History==
Zakimi Castle, is located on a high ground overlooking a wide area of the Nakagami region in the northern portion of central [[Okinawa Island]]. The sea and surrounding islands (including the [[Kerama Islands]] are visible, indicating its strategic military importance. The fortress has two inner courts, each with an [[arch]]ed gate. The gates use keystone construction, which is considered an older form of arch gate. The protruding sections of the castle walls reaching approximately 13 meters at their highest point and 3 meters at their lowest are made from Ryūkyū limestone, employing both interlocking and coursed masonry techniques, resulting in a massive structure with many curves, which is also characteristic of Ryūkyūan castles. Since no [[roof tile]]s have been excavated, it is believed that the buildings that once stood there had thatched roofs. The outer perimeter of the castle is 365 meters, and the area within the fortifications is 7,385 square meters. <ref name="Shiseki">{{cite book |last1=Isomura |first1=Yukio |last2=Sakai |first2=Hideya |title=(国指定史跡事典) National Historic Site Encyclopedia |date=2012 |publisher=学生社 |isbn=978-4311750403}}{{in lang|ja}}</ref>

The castle was built between 1416 and 1422 by the renowned Ryūkyūan general [[Gosamaru]], a project which involved workers from as far away as the [[Amami Islands]], and was partly constructed with materials taken from nearby [[Yamada Castle]].<ref name=jiten-gosamaru>"Gosamaru." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41392-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210042616/http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41392-storytopic-121.html |date=2011-02-10 }} (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref> It remained his stronghold until he was transferred to [[Nakagusuku Castle]] in 1430. Since trade artifacts dating to the mid-15th century onwards have been unearthed in [[archaeological excavation]]s, it is presumed that the castle was used for some time even after Gosamaru's transfer, although much remains uncertain about its history.

In August 1944, the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] constructed an anti-aircraft gun position in the first enclosure of Zakimi Castle to protect Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield. In October of that year, the castle was severely damaged by aerial bombardment, and after the 1945 [[Battle of Okinawa]] it came under US military occupation. After the end of the war, Zakimi Castle Ruins became part of the Bolo [[Shooting range|firing range]]. In 1958, although it was designated an Important Cultural Property by the [[Government of the Ryukyu Islands]], it was further damaged by the construction of a [[Project Nike|Nike]] anti-aircraft missile battery and radar site. Archaeological excavations and repairs to the stone walls were permitted in 1973, and with the decommissioning of the radar site in 1974, the castle was returned to the control of Japan. <ref name="Shiseki"/>

In September 1991, the theater company "Daichi" staged "Shakespeare in Zakimi: A Midsummer Night's Dream" for two days. It was the first outdoor play at Zakimi Castle, based on [[Shakespeare]]'s "[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]," with Gosamaru as the protagonist. The castle was listed as one of the [[Continued 100 Fine Castles of Japan]] by the Japanese Castle Foundation in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jokaku.jp/japan-top-100-castles/best-100-castles-of-japan-2nd-selection/|title=続日本100名城|date=29 November 2017|publisher=日本城郭協会|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 July 2019|archive-date=8 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808090742/http://jokaku.jp/japan-top-100-castles/best-100-castles-of-japan-2nd-selection/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.100finecastles.com/castles-list2/  |title=続日本100名城に行こう|publisher=続日本100名城|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.club-t.com/theme/rekishi/castle/tour2.htm  |title=続日本100名城に行こう|publisher=クラブツーリズム|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=続日本100|language=Japanese|id={{ASIN|4054066887|country=jp}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://kojodan.jp/badge/29/  |title=続日本100名城|publisher=攻城団|language=Japanese|accessdate=25 July 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Historic Sites of Japan (Okinawa)]]

==References==
*{{cite book | title=Japanese Castles| last=Motoo| first=Hinago| year=1986| publisher=Kodansha| location=Tokyo| isbn=0-87011-766-1| page= 200 pages}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Zakimi Castle}}
*[https://www.yomitan-kankou.jp/tourist/watch/1611289699/ Yomitan tourist Information]

{{Gusuku}}
{{Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1422]]
[[Category:Houses completed in the 15th century]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Japan]]
[[Category:Ruined castles in Japan]]
[[Category:Castles in Okinawa Prefecture]]
[[Category:Historic Sites of Japan]]