Shuri castle was the residence of the Governor of the state of Ryukyu, located on the Islands of Okinawa and Ryukyu from XV to XIX century. The medieval castles of monarchs of Ryukyu got the name gusuku, and Shuri castle is one of the few gusuku that have been restored. The castle is under UNESCO protection.

The exact date of construction of the castle is unknown. According to one version – XIII-XIV century, and the castle was built for the Prince of Satta. According to another version, the castle was built in the XV century, the first monarch of the Ryukyu Se Hasi. Since the beginning of the reign of Se Hasi to Shuri castle acquires the status of a political and cultural centre of the country of Ryukyu, and it continues to be followed until 1879, when the Emperor Meiji was annexed forcibly Ryukyu and marked a new administrative territory as Okinawa Prefecture.

Before joining the Shuri castle was considered the most respectable and beautiful in the Kingdom. The grounds of the castle when viewed from a height, had an oval shape. Surrounded by stone walls, was the main Palace and other government institutions of the state of ruku. External and internal reinforced walls had a total of 12 gates. Castle tours start at the gate Sura, destroyed and rebuilt in 1958. The picture the gate Sura was placed on a denomination banknote 2000 yen, which was released in 2000 in honour of the summit of the G8 (the group of eight countries"). For the construction of the castle walls surrounding the castle was used coral limestone, their height ranges from 6 to 11 meters, and the total length of 1080 meters.

The Shuri castle several times received serious damage from fire, but much more severe damage it suffered the bombing of the U.S. air force during the Second world war. In 1944 the castle was completely destroyed by U.S. aircraft, bombed the headquarters of the 32nd Japanese army, who were in the castle. In 1945, American forces invaded Okinawa and destroyed all the medieval castles, and there were more than 220. In 1950, the occupation authorities opened on the ruins of Shuri castle Roguski University. In 1972, after the return of Okinawa to Japan, the castle was declared an important historical monument of national importance. In 1986 started a large-scale restoration works of the Palace, its walls, gates, and other buildings and gardens. Since 1992, the castle is in Okinawa state cultural reserve.