Chibana Castle (知花城, Chibana jō, Okinawan: Chibana gushiku[1]), also known as Goeku Castle (越来城, Goeku jō, Okinawan: Gwiiku gushiku[2]) was a Ryukyuan gusuku on Okinawa Island. In the Chibana district of Okinawa City, the castle site sits on a hill and is surrounded by jungle.[3]
History
Chibana Castle was in use during the reign of the First Shō Dynasty and served as the residence of the Aji of GoekuMagiri.[3] The castle and Goeku Magiri was given to the Ryukyuan general Uni-Ufugusuku by King Shō Taikyū in return for defeating the Aji of Katsuren Castle, Amawari. After the fall of the First Shō Dynasty, Uni-Ufugusuku was expelled from the castle and later committed suicide.[3] His tomb, and that of his wife, was built at the bottom of the hill that Chibana Castle is atop.
In the early 1960s, a structure was built on top of the hill to commemorate the castle and serve as a tourist attraction, from which all of the former Goeku Magiri can be seen.[4]