About Tamaudun
The entrance to Okinawa’s Naha Tamaudun is just down the road, but compared to Shurijo Castle, it’s deserted. Yes, how many people would like to visit the tomb of a fallen dynasty on the last day of the year.
The polite middle-aged woman at the ticket counter (300 yen per person) handed over the tickets and asked us in English where we were coming from, and then prompted us with a Chinese board to visit the historical exhibition room of the Jade Tombs downstairs from the ticket counter. We followed the instructions and went downstairs by elevator. This is the smallest museum I have ever seen.
Fare
Fee: Adult 200 yen, Child 100 yen
Credit cards are not accepted
How to get there
Walk out of the Monorail Shuri Station ticket gate, go down the steps at the south exit and walk 100 meters to the first intersection (Torigiri intersection), cross the traffic light and walk 900 meters to the station. It takes 15 minutes on foot. You can also take a sightseeing bus from Shuri Station (interval between departures: 10-30 minutes, 100 yen per way, 5 minutes).
Tips
This is one of the world heritage sites of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, the building is not large, it is recommended to go to the left side of the ticket gate down to B1 to get to know the history of the place and the causes, you can see the three large rooms in each of the different royal family relatives, especially in the middle of the room of unknown figures, a separate room, understand the structure of the mausoleum and then go to the actual visit, it will feel more. Of course, it would be even better if you can visit the interior of the room.
There are many differences between Ryukyu culture and Japanese culture, and the burial system is one of the most obvious features. The Ryukyu royal family adopted the “Bone Washing Burial”, which was inherited from the ancient Yue people of China. This mysterious burial system still survives in the minority areas of Guizhou and Guangxi. When I stepped outside, the sky was more gloomy.
The gray and black Jade Tomb looks more solemn. Even if the outer wall is short, even if the scale is small, and even if the interior of the chamber in the Jade Tomb is not open, the building still shows its self-dignity as the tomb where the second Shang Dynasty of Ryukyu is buried.
The only thing that goes against the atmosphere of this place is the two lion statues on the top of the tomb chamber. The Ryukyu lions in Shurijo Castle are thinner compared to the current world. The shape of the lions here is not only very different from other places, but also different from the ones in Shurijo Castle.
They are slightly tilted, with a faint smile, and it is not known whether they are used to warn future generations to be calm and open-minded about death, or to give earnest encouragement to future generations who come to pay their respects.
Website
https://www.city.naha.okinawa.jp/kankou/bunkazai/tamaudun.html
