Tamaudun, Royal mausoleum in Shuri, Naha, Japan
Tamaudun is a royal mausoleum in Shuri, Naha, built in 1501, with three chambers set side by side behind a north-facing facade and backed by a natural cliff. Its walls are of large, irregular grey stone blocks, moss-stained with age, pierced by a rectangular doorway with a flat stone lintel. A low stone step sits at the opening, and a paved forecourt of cracked slabs lies before it. The facade carries a band of corbels and a rounded tower-like projection topped by a carved finial.
King Sho Shin established this burial site in 1501 to house the remains of his father. It later became the final resting place for seventeen rulers of the Second Sho Dynasty.
The chambers are organized by the rank and role of the deceased, with separate spaces reserved for monarchs, their consorts, and other family members. This arrangement reflects how the Ryukyu people honored their dead according to their place in society.
The mausoleum stands in Shuri Kinjo-cho, a short walk from Shuri Castle and near the monorail's Shuri Station. The site covers 2,442 m2, with the tomb facing north and a natural cliff behind it to the south. Two stone-walled enclosures lie in front of the chambers, the inner courtyard paved with coral fragments.
The center chamber was not used for burial but served as a ritual space where the bones of the deceased were cleaned before final placement in the eastern or western chambers. This process was a key part of Ryukyuan funeral traditions.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,528 contributors worldwide.
