Site of the government office of the administration of the Ryukyu kingdom, which served to oversee the cargo taken by tribute ships and assess the state of newly developed fields and the annual rice crop yield.

Basic information

Address

903-0812 1-4 Tonokura Shuri Naha Okinawa

Business hours

Nothing in particular

Close day

Nothing in particular

Charge

Free

Parking

None

Access information

A 2-minute walk from the Tonokura bus stopon Ryutan-dori.

Additional Information

Academic information

Takajou was constructed in 1669. The Takajou took over the job of overseeing and assessing the state of farm workers and the annual rice crop yield for the “Sanyoza” (government office of the Ryukyu kingdom, and in 1732 became the “Kanjoza”).
Additionally, examination and inspection of the cargo at the time of Emigration and Immigration of tribute ships to China and Japan was done. In 1766, because of the large amount of clerical work at Takajou, “Denchiho” was constructed to deal with clerical work pertaining to agricultural affairs.
It has been said that Takajou area was once the location of the sub-temple for retirement of the Rinzai Sect “Chijo-in”. The site later turned into a government property, in 1669. Then in the same area, the Ryukyu kingdom government’s Shoza and Shozo (government offices), as well as the Kaizuribugyosho (Mother of Pearl Magistrate’s Office) (1745), Kokugaku (university) in the Ryutan area (1801), and Koshibyo (Temple of Confucius) (1837) were constructed.
With the annexation of the Ryukyu Kingdom in (1879), Takajou was abolished, and from 1886 until the Battle of Okinawa (1945). This site was used for the Prefectural Normal School. In 1950, the male student dormitory of the University of the Ryukyus was placed here. After the University of Ryukyu moved from the site, the Prefectural University of Arts was established here, in 1986.

Quote

Naha City Museum of History