The stunning fortresses of Okinawa have endured centuries of conflict
Castles on the Japanese island date to the early years of the Ryukyu Kingdom in the 15th century. The surviving fortresses' dramatic settings and sturdy walls make for quite a sight, writes Julian Ryall
As he ran his practiced eye over the lie of the land - taking in the steep cliffs on two sides, the plateau, the view out to sea, the convenient well and countless other details - Lord Gosamaru would have realised very quickly that this was the ideal position for his castle.
Already lord of the castle of Zakimi, on the west coast of the main island of the Ryukyu Kingdom, as Okinawa was at the time, Gosamaru had built a reputation as being loyal to the king and designer of the most impregnable fortresses in the land.
A rudimentary defensive position had stood on the site since the middle of the 14th century but, when Gosamaru arrived, in 1440, to keep an eye on another lord who was becoming restive, he set about developing Nakagusuku into one of the key fortifications on the islands.
Using the skills and knowledge he had acquired over decades of attacks and counter-attacks with neighbouring clans, Gosamaru ordered the addition of enclosures that extended the castle's profile along the ridge, including a thick defensive wall built around the Ufugaa well, critical in a time of siege. And while aesthetics and form may not have been a priority for a man looking to protect his position, Gosamaru managed to create a structure that was both pleasing to the eye and functional.
And so it remains to this day.