Katsuren Castle is a gusuku located in the eastern part of central mainland Okinawa. Built in the 13th century by the ruler of the Katsuren area, Amawari, this castle was in use for almost 400 years. After being attacked by the Ryukyuan army it fell under the control of the Ryukyuan Kingdom. Katsuren Castle became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Unlike Nakijin Castle, Katsuren Castle is a place free to visit anytime of the day, and it is more treated as a park than a theme park. After climbing the hill up to the top there is an astonishing view over Uruma City, Okinawa City and the Pacific Ocean.

On the other side of the street from Katsuren Castle is a tourist center where you can get more information about the area, as well as book tours. Most of the information is in Japanese, so it might be a good idea to bring a Japanese speaker if you are not familiar with the language yourself.