Chinen Castle Ruins
Chinen Castle is a Ryūkyūan gusuku fortification located in the city of Nanjō, Okinawa. The castle ruins were designated a National Historic Site on May 15, 1972.- Type: Archaeological site
- Description: castle in Nanjō, Okinawa, Japan
- Also known as: “Chinen Castle”
- Address: 知念, 沖縄県 901-1501
Places of Interest Nearby
Highlights include Sefa-utaki and Tamagusuku Castle.
Sefa-utaki
Place of worship
Sefa-utaki, is a historical sacred space, overlooking Kudaka Island, that served as one of the key locations of worship in the native religion of Ryukyuan for millennia. Sefa-utaki is situated 2 km northeast of Chinen Castle Ruins.
Tamagusuku Castle
Castle
Photo: Mocchy, Public domain.
Tamagusuku Castle is a Ryūkyūan gusuku fortification located in the city of Nanjō, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the oldest castle on Okinawa Island; according to the Chūzan Seikan, it was built by Amamikyu, the creation goddess of the Ryūkyūan religion. Tamagusuku Castle is situated 3½ km southwest of Chinen Castle Ruins.
Places in the Area
Nearby places include Yonabaru and Nishihara.
Yonabaru
Town
Photo: Hykw-a4, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Yonabaru is a town in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located at the southern end of Okinawa Island, on the east coast, overlooking Nakagusuku Bay. Yonabaru is situated 7 km northwest of Chinen Castle Ruins.
Nishihara
Town
Photo: Lequios-star, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nishihara is a town located in Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. In the Okinawan language, nishi means "north", as Nishihara was north of the historical Ryukyuan capital of Shuri. Nishihara is situated 9 km northwest of Chinen Castle Ruins.
Haebaru
Town
Photo: Hykw-a4, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Haebaru is a town located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2025, the town has an estimated population of 41,585 and a density of 3,865 persons per km2. Haebaru is situated 9 km west of Chinen Castle Ruins.
Chinen Castle Ruins
- Categories: gusuku, historic site, tourist attraction, and tourism
- Location: Nanjō Shi, Okinawa, Japan, East Asia, Asia
- View on OpenStreetMap
Latitude
26.16049° or 26° 9′ 38″ northLongitude
127.81209° or 127° 48′ 44″ eastOpen location code
7QR95R66+5ROpenStreetMap ID
node 5885029911OpenStreetMap feature
historic=archaeological_siteWikidata ID
Q30926461
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Satellite Map
Discover Chinen Castle Ruins from above in high-definition satellite imagery.
In Other Languages
“Chinen Castle Ruins” goes by many names.
- Japanese: “知念城”
- Japanese: “知念城跡”
Notable Places Nearby
Highlights include Site of Noro’s Residence and Chinen ukka Spring.
Nearby Places
Explore places such as Tomb of Lord Chinen and Chinen Castle Ruins Parking Lot.
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