Shikinaen Garden
識名園
The villa garden of the Ryukyu royal family, a World Heritage site that blends a Chinese-style hexagonal pavilion and stone arch bridges with a Japanese-style strolling pond garden, once used to host Chinese investiture envoys.
Shikinaen was built in 1799 as a villa where the Ryukyu kings rested and received Chinese investiture envoys. It was destroyed during World War II and later rebuilt to its original form, and it was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2000. Centered on Shinji Pond, the red-tiled palace building, a Chinese-style hexagonal pavilion and stone arch bridges are reflected in the water. The garden expresses Ryukyu's unique aesthetic, which blends Chinese and Japanese influences, and it draws far fewer visitors than Shuri Castle. Admission is 400 yen, and the garden is closed on Wednesdays. It is about a 10-minute drive from Shuri Castle and can be combined with Kinjo-cho Stone Road for a half-day route. Buses run infrequently, so taking a taxi is recommended.
Opening hours
09:00–18:00 (until 17:30 October–March); closed Wednesdays
Nearby sights
- Shuri Kinjo-cho Stone-paved Road
- Shuri Castle
- Makishi Public Market
- Kokusai Street
- Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum
- Naminoue Shrine
- Okinawa World & Gyokusendo Cave
- Senaga Island (Umikaji Terrace)