Great Akagi of Shuri Kinjo, Okinawa

Near the historic stone-paved Kinjocho road in Shuri, Naha City, stands the Great Akagi of Shuri Kinjo. It is a precious natural site, rare in an urban area, where several giant akagi trees said to be over 200 years old grow together, their trunks reaching about 20 meters in height. The area has long been revered as the sacred grove of Uchikanagusuku, an utaki (a sacred place of worship in Okinawa), and the great trees, spared from the flames of the Pacific War, still spread their branches powerfully. Designated a National Natural Monument in 1972 at the time of the reversion to mainland Japan, it is a quiet sacred power spot of Shuri.

Highlights

• Stand of Giant Akagi Trees: The great trees spreading their branches as if to cover the sky are an overwhelming presence evoking vitality and history, designated a National Natural Monument.
• Uchikanagusuku Sacred Grove: A sacred site revered as a place of worship since ancient times, with a place of prayer set among the trees.
• Kinjocho Stone-Paved Road: A paved slope that retains the air of the Ryukyu kingdom era, a sight worth visiting along with a stroll.
• Historic Scenery of Shuri: Close to the Shuri Castle ruins, in an area where the look of the Ryukyu kingdom remains strong.

Enjoying the Seasons

In warm Okinawa the green is beautiful year-round, and you can spend quiet time feeling the cool of the shade. A stroll along the stone-paved road also charms with the look of wet stones glistening after rain. Walking it together with Shuri Castle sightseeing lets you savor the history and nature of the Ryukyu kingdom at once. Amid a Shuri bustling with tourists, this spot alone is a hidden gem where time flows gently.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Shuri-Kinjocho, Naha City, Okinawa
• Access: About 19 minutes on foot from Shuri Station on the Yui Rail, or about 2 minutes on foot from the Ishidatami-iriguchi bus stop
• Hours: Anytime (the sacred grove is a holy site, so view it quietly)
• Admission: Free

Practical Travel Notes

• The Stone Road is Sloped: The Kinjocho stone-paved road is an old slope laid with Ryukyu limestone; it is inclined and especially slippery on rainy days. Comfortable shoes are reassuring.
• Precious Trees Spared from War: Before the war many great akagi stood around Shuri Castle, but most were burned in the fighting. The few surviving trees are precious living witnesses.
• Worship Manners: Uchikanagusuku is still a revered sacred site. Respect on-site guidance for entry and photography, and view it quietly.
• Nearby: Combining it with the Shuri Castle ruins, the Kinjocho stone-paved road, and nearby wells and springs makes a walking history course of Shuri.

A Quick Tip

The stone-paved road is sloped and slippery on rainy days, so comfortable shoes are recommended. The sacred grove is a holy site still revered, so observe good manners with entry and photography and stay quiet. Touring it together with Shuri Castle and the stone-paved road makes a course unique to Shuri, enjoying a history stroll and the power of nature at once.

📚 Sources

This article draws on guidance from Naha City and Okinawa Prefecture about the Great Akagi Trees of Shuri Kinjo, materials on their national natural-monument designation, and on-site interpretive panels about the Kinjocho stone-paved road and the Uchikanagusuku sacred site. Statements about the cluster of Akagi trees over two hundred years old and their designation as a national natural monument at the time of the 1972 reversion to mainland administration rest on these public materials and on-site panels. Because access times and the viewing environment may change, please confirm current details with the official information of Naha City before visiting.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About forty minutes to one hour combining a look at the Great Akagi trees, a visit to the Uchikanagusuku sacred site, and a stroll on the Kinjocho stone-paved road.
• What to bring: The stone-paved road is sloped and slippery in the rain, so comfortable shoes are reassuring.
• Getting around: About nineteen minutes on foot from Shuri Station on the Yui Rail, or about two minutes on foot from the Ishidatami-iriguchi bus stop.
• Etiquette: Uchikanagusuku is a sacred site still revered today; respect on-site guidance regarding entry and photography and view it quietly.
• Combine your visit: Pairing it with the Shuri Castle site and the Kinjocho stone-paved road makes a walkable historical route through Shuri.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Location: 3-18 and 3-20 Shuri Kinjo-cho, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture (south of the Shuri Castle site, within the precincts of Uchi-Kanagusuku-utaki)
• Viewing hours and fees: The trees stand outdoors in the precincts of the utaki (sacred grove); there are no set viewing hours and no admission fee
• Cultural property designation: Designated as a national natural monument, the Great Akagi Trees of Shuri Kinjo, on May 15, 1972 (Showa 47). Uchi-Kanagusuku-utaki itself is also a designated cultural property of Naha City (designated on November 14, 1978 / Showa 53)
• The trees: Five large akagi trees estimated to be more than 200 years old grow here naturally, with trunks reaching a height of about 20 m. There were six at the time of designation, but one of them was brought down by a typhoon
• Underfoot: To keep the pressure of visitors' feet from harming the tree roots, Naha City has built a wooden boardwalk on the advice of specialists. Please keep to the boardwalk and follow the guidance signs on site
• Access: About a 15-minute walk from Shuri Station on the Okinawa Urban Monorail (Yui Rail) / about a 5-minute walk from the Ishidatami-mae bus stop (route 15, Samukawa Line) / about 15 minutes by car from the Naha IC on the Okinawa Expressway

Note: Whether there is a dedicated car park, and how many spaces it has, is not published officially. Note: Uchi-Kanagusuku-utaki is a place of worship still in active use, where the local neighborhood association continues to hold the first prayer of the year and the Muchi festival and to keep the grounds clean. Please visit quietly.

(Sources: Okinawa Story, the Okinawa tourism information website; Cultural Heritage Online (Agency for Cultural Affairs); a published response from the Cultural Properties Division of Naha City; Okinawa Midori to Hana no Hiroba, Environment Department of Okinawa Prefecture)