Ie-udun Tomb

photo by やちむん · CC BY-SA 3.0

photo by やちむん · CC BY-SA 3.0

Between the roof and the door the gap is narrow: it is the signature of the earliest shell tombs.

It is a chamber dug into the slope and closed by a limestone façade finished with white lime, with the flight of steps rising from the south. The form is that of the kamekōbaka, the turtle-shell tomb, and this is among the oldest in the prefecture: the roof and the entrance to the chamber almost touch, whereas in later tombs that space widens.

Tomb of the Ie-udun family, descended from Ie Ōji Chōgi, seventh son of King Shō Sei, fourth ruler of the second Shō dynasty. It was built in 1687, when the fifth head of the family succeeded. The body of the tomb measures about eleven metres across the front by seventeen deep; the burial enclosure now covers 2,266 square metres, less than half of the almost 5,828 of 1687. It has been a national Important Cultural Property since 1 December 1999.

ℹ️ ⚠️ Whether and how you can approach it is not stated by any official source: it is a family tomb, still private property, in a residential neighbourhood of Shuri. Before going, it is best to ask the cultural properties office of the City of Naha, 098-917-3501.

🚉 Ishimine · 7 min walk

Sources: jpsearch.go.jp

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