Shikina-En Garden

"Shikina-En" Garden

"Shikina-En Garden" was the largest villa of the royal family of Ryukyu Kingdom. It was completed in 1799, when SHO On (1795-1802) was the king of the "Ryukyu" Kingdom. In 1800, a senior envoy and a vice-envoy from China visited "Shikina-En Garden".

"Shkina-En Garden" is a so-called "Chisen-Kaiyu-Shiki Garden", which is a go-around-the-pond style garden. This style of garden was a typical Japanese style, which was mainly built in a feudal lord's residence during the Edo Age (1603-1868) . A Chinese style building and Ryukyu styled stone bridges are located in "Shikina-En Garden".

If you go into "Shikina-En Garden", you will see a guardhouse in the trees.

If you walk to the right, you will see the side entrance gate, shown in the below-left picture, and the main entrance gate, shown in the below right picture.

These two gates have the formal "Ryukyu" architecture. The side entrance gate is smaller than the main entrance gate. It was built for the officers and works of "Shikina-En Garden". The loyal families of "Ryukyu" Kingdom and envoys from China used the main entrance gate.

The stone-paved ally continues from the main entrance to the inside of the garden. The stone-paved ally originally continues from Shuri Castle.

The "Ikutokusen" spring is located by the side of the stone-paved ally. The spring is the water source of the pond in "Shikina-En" Garden.

The spring is well-protected by masonry. These stones were from Okinawa and the style of the masonry is "Rykyu" Style. There are two stone monuments at the springs. These monuments are related to the envoys from China in 1800 and 1838, respectively.

When you path through the trees, you will see a pond in the middle of the garden. The palace building, "Udun", is located by the pond.

The palace building has 525 square-meters of site area and fifteen rooms, including the room for the envoys from China.

The architecture of the palace building is very open. You will see a beautiful view of the garden from the palace.

You can walk around the garden, as loyal families of the Ryukyu Kingdom and the envoys from China did in the past.

Stone bridges and the small hall, which has the hexagonal shape are located in the pond.
The view of the Palace from the other side of the pond is also very beautiful.

If you walk beyond the pond, you will come to "Kankodai", where is an observatory platform.
The view from "Kankodai" is spectacular.

As Okinawa is a long and narrow island, you will see the Pacific Ocean or the East-China Sea from many places. On the other hand, you will not see any sea from "Kankodai". It is said that the location of "Shikina-En" was selected to give the impression to the envoys from China that "Ryukyu" is a big nation.

"Shikina-En" Garden was damaged during the Okinawa War in 1945. It was restored by 1995. "Shikina-En" Garden is designated as a Special Scenic Spot and a World Heritage.