Guide · Culture
Ryukyu history and Okinawa: from kingdom to prefecture
The Ryukyu Kingdom lasted from 1429 to 1879. Shuri Castle's main hall opens 23 November 2026 by timed reservation, $6 (¥1,000).
The Ryukyu Kingdom lasted from 1429 to 1879 and was then incorporated as Okinawa Prefecture, and the place to follow that story is Shuri Castle in Naha. From 23 November 2026 the main hall interior is open by timed reservation, with an adult ticket at $6 (¥1,000).
The page continues from Edo and Meiji in the history guide and sits in the Culture hub. Okinawa covers seasons, ferries and costs, and Ainu history and Hokkaido tells the story of the north.
What happened, and when?
Seven dates carry the story from the kingdom to the reopening of Shuri Castle’s main hall.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1429 | The kingdom is unified under Sho Hashi |
| 1609 | Forces from the Satsuma domain invade; the kingdom keeps formal independence |
| 1872 | Japan makes the kingdom the Ryukyu Domain |
| 1879 | The domain is abolished and Okinawa Prefecture is set up |
| 1945 | The Battle of Okinawa; Shuri Castle's main hall is destroyed |
| 15 May 1972 | Okinawa reverts to Japan, and US bases remain |
| 23 Nov 2026 | The main hall interior opens by timed reservation |
What was the Ryukyu Kingdom?
The Ryukyu Kingdom was unified in 1429 under Sho Hashi, per academic summaries, although some scholars date a centralised state later, to the 1520s. UNESCO’s listing for the Gusuku Sites describes it as a trade and tribute hub linking China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. The kingdom lasted about 450 years, from 1429 to 1879.
UNESCO inscribed the Gusuku Sites in 2000. They include Shuri Castle, Tamaudun and Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon, and the nomination covers the 12th to 17th century.
What changed in 1609 and 1879?
In 1609 forces from the Satsuma domain invaded. The kingdom kept its formal independence and its tribute ties to China, per secondary sources. In the Edo period an academic feature counts Satsuma as one of four contact points, the channel to Ryukyu.
Japan made the kingdom the Ryukyu Domain in 1872 and abolished the domain in 1879, setting up Okinawa Prefecture. The Japanese government calls this the “Ryukyu Disposition”; some scholars call it annexation. The last king, Sho Tai, moved to Tokyo, per secondary sources, and the Amami islands stayed in Kagoshima Prefecture. Meiji covers the same years.
What does the prefecture’s museum say about the Battle of Okinawa?
The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum says the Battle of Okinawa lasted about 90 days, that more than 200,000 people died and that civilian deaths far exceeded military deaths. Its English pages speak of mourning, peace and the lessons of war, and of victims on all sides.
The prefecture’s Cornerstone of Peace inscribes the names of people of all nationalities who died in the war years, 1931 to 1945 and the year after. It lists 242,225 names as of 24 June 2024. The 2025 additions, 342 names (325 from outside the prefecture), bring the total to 242,567, per a news report. That counts names, not deaths in one battle, and it is not a civilian-only list.
Okinawa marks 23 June as Irei no Hi, its memorial day, and 2025 was the 80th anniversary, per the prefecture. At memorials, keep voices low, skip posed photographs at the names walls and do not sit on monuments. That is courtesy guidance, not a posted rule.
What changed in 1972?
Okinawa reverted to Japan on 15 May 1972, and US bases stayed. The agreement was signed on 17 June 1971. Both dates are from secondary sources.
What happened to Shuri Castle?
The main hall, the Seiden, was destroyed in 1945, rebuilt in 1992 and burned on 31 October 2019, with the cause undetermined. UNESCO’s listing records the 1945 loss as part of the Battle of Okinawa.
From 23 November 2026 the interior is open to visitors by timed reservation. The exterior could be viewed earlier. Sales opened on 1 September and 1 October 2026.
Before you book Reserve a date and a 30-minute slot for the main hall interior. There is no extra charge, and holders of free entry or an annual pass must reserve too. Confirm opening hours and closed days on the park’s page.
From 23 November 2026 an adult pays $6 (¥1,000), high school students $5 (¥760) and elementary and junior high students $2 (¥370). Children under 6 are free, and an annual pass is $13 (¥2,000). Okinawa residents aged 70 and over and holders of a disability certificate enter free, per the park’s pages.
What can you see today?
Five places hold the story: three in Naha and two in Itoman.
| Place | City | What you see | Fee | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shuri Castle | Naha | Castle park, with the main hall interior from 23 Nov 2026 by timed reservation | Adult $6 (¥1,000) | Not confirmed; sources differ on the closing time |
| Tamaudun | Naha | A royal mausoleum in the UNESCO Gusuku Sites | $2 (¥300), with a lower $1 (¥150) rate, per travel listings | 09:00 to 18:00, entry to 17:30; no regular closure per listings |
| Sonohyan-utaki | Naha | A stone gate built in 1519, in the UNESCO Gusuku Sites | Not confirmed | Not found |
| Peace museum | Itoman | Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum at Mabuni | $2 (¥300), with a lower $1 (¥150) rate | 09:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:30; closed 29 Dec to 3 Jan |
| Cornerstone | Itoman | Walls inscribed with 242,567 names | Free, reported | Not found |
Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
The museum page labels its two rates unclearly, so the higher one is taken as the adult rate. The park grounds and the Cornerstone are reported free. Tamaudun’s figures come from travel listings. Naha City owns Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon, and its fee and visitor rules are not confirmed, so follow any signs. New Year closures covers the year-end closing of the museum and other sites.
Where next?
- Okinawa gives seasons, ferries, the Kerama whale season and costs.
- Taisho and Showa and Hiroshima and Nagasaki museums cover the other 1945 memorials.
- The Culture hub holds every culture topic.
Questions
The interior opens on 23 November 2026, by timed reservation. An adult ticket is $6 (¥1,000) from that date, per the Okinawa Prefectural Park pages. The main hall burned on 31 October 2019.
Yes, for the main hall interior. Reserve a date and a 30-minute slot in advance; there is no extra charge. Holders of free entry or an annual pass must reserve too.
Yes. The Ryukyu Kingdom lasted from 1429 to 1879, with trade and tribute ties to China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. Japan made it the Ryukyu Domain in 1872 and set up Okinawa Prefecture in 1879.
Names of people of all nationalities who died in the war years, 1931 to 1945 and the year after. After the 2025 additions it lists 242,567 names, per Okinawa Prefecture and a news report. That counts names, not deaths in one battle.
The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum at Mabuni in Itoman. It is open 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30, closed 29 December to 3 January, and entry is $2 (¥300), with a lower $1 (¥150) rate.