Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate
園比屋武御嶽石門26°13′ N 127°43′ EUtakiUNESCO World HeritageBuilt in 1519; restored in 1956 after the Battle of Okinawa
The Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate on the approach to Shuri Castle is the 1519 shrine where Ryukyu's kings prayed for a safe journey before leaving the castle, and it stands free to see between the Shureimon and Kankaimon gates. The gate is where people pray, and the grove behind it is the sacred precinct.
Photo xiquinhosilva · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
King Sho Shin ordered the gate in 1519. Its builder Nishito came from Taketomi in the Yaeyama Islands and had been brought to Shuri. The king stopped here to pray for safety on the road whenever he left the castle, and a new Kikoe-okimi made her first prayer here at the start of the Oaraori rite that installed her at Sefa-utaki.
The stone gate itself is the place of worship, and the woods behind it form the utaki. The deity honoured here is said to come from Iheya Island. Japan listed the gate as a National Treasure in 1933. The fighting of 1945 wrecked it, and in 1956 the Ryukyu Government rebuilt it in travertine and reused what survived of the original.
Naha City cares for the gate, which became an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1972, and it entered the World Heritage list with Shuri Castle and the other Ryukyu sites in 2000. Give it a minute after you pass Shureimon on the way up.
Visiting with care
The stone gate is the place of worship, and the forest behind it is the utaki proper.
- The gate stands beside the path between Shureimon and Kankaimon in the free area of Shuri Castle Park, so anyone walking up to the castle passes it
- The stone gate is where people pray; treat the grove behind it as sacred ground and stay on the path
- This is a place of prayer; if someone is praying, wait until they finish before you photograph the gate
- Stand to one side of the gate and keep off its stonework
- Leave any incense or offerings on the gate untouched
Worth knowing
- Look for the gate as you climb from Shureimon toward Kankaimon.
- Combine it with Tamaudun, a few minutes' walk to the west.
FAQ
Quick answers about Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gateよくある質問
What is the Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate?
The Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate is a sacred stone gateway built in 1519 on the approach to Shuri Castle in Naha. Ryukyu's kings prayed there for a safe journey before leaving the castle, and it is part of the World Heritage listing.
Is the Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate free to visit?
Yes. The Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate stands beside the path between Shureimon and Kankaimon in the free area of Shuri Castle Park. The grove behind the gate is sacred ground.
Can you visit Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate?
Open to visitors. The gate stands beside the path between Shureimon and Kankaimon in the free area of Shuri Castle Park, so anyone walking up to the castle passes it. The stone gate is where people pray; treat the grove behind it as sacred ground and stay on the path.
How should you behave at Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate?
At Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate: This is a place of prayer; if someone is praying, wait until they finish before you photograph the gate. Stand to one side of the gate and keep off its stonework. Leave any incense or offerings on the gate untouched.
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