When can I see the Seiden of Shuri Castle?

The restored Seiden opens to the public on Monday, November 23, 2026 (a public holiday in Japan). A ceremony marking the completion of the restoration is held the day before, on Sunday, November 22.

Do I need a reservation to see the Seiden?

Yes. Viewing inside the Seiden requires an advance reservation for a 30-minute time slot (from November 23, 2026; the rest of the paid area needs no reservation). Reservations are made online through the official ticketing site Webket (up to 9 tickets per transaction). For individuals, sales for entry between November 23 and December 31, 2026 open in two rounds on a first-come, first-served basis: round 1 at 13:00 on Tuesday, September 1, and round 2 at 13:00 on Thursday, October 1.

How much does it cost to see the Seiden?

There is no separate charge for viewing the Seiden — it is covered by the paid-area admission fee. That fee itself is revised for entry from November 23, 2026. Current fees (adults ¥400 / high school ¥300 / elementary and junior high ¥160) apply through November 22, 2026. From November 23, individual fees (fewer than 20 people) are adults ¥1,000 / high school students ¥760 / elementary and junior high school students ¥370 (under 6 free).

Do I take my shoes off inside the Seiden?

Yes. You take your shoes off to view the inside of the Seiden, and the park asks visitors to bring a bag for their shoes, so pack one before you go (checked against the official reservation guide on October 2, 2026).

How long does a visit take?

The official guide gives about 90–120 minutes in total from the Suimuikan visitor center, including the Seiden interior (depending on crowds); viewing inside the Seiden itself takes about 15 minutes. Shuri Station to Suimuikan is about 20 minutes. Allow half a day if you also want to walk to nearby sights such as the royal mausoleum Tamaudun and the Kinjocho stone-paved road.

If I book the last slot before closing, when do I need to arrive?

You must pass the Hoshinmon Gate ticket check and finish entering the Seiden by the end of your slot. From December to March the last slot is 17:00–17:29: pass the gate by 17:30 and enter by 17:40. From April to November it is 18:00–18:29: pass the gate by 18:30 and enter by 18:40. You cannot enter after the paid area's last-entry time, so leave plenty of time.

Can I visit on November 22 or 23?

On Sunday, November 22, Shurijo Castle Park, including the paid areas and all park facilities, is closed for the completion ceremony. On November 23, an invitation-only opening ceremony runs from 9:00 to 9:45, so the free areas inside the castle walls stay closed until 11:15 and the paid areas until 12:00. Public viewing inside the Seiden starts at 12:00 that day.

Can I enjoy Shuri Castle without a reservation?

Yes. The free area — including the Shureimon Gate, the stone gates and walls, and the sacred forest of Kyo-no-uchi — requires no reservation. The castle walls are also illuminated every night from sunset to sunrise.

What are the opening hours?

Currently the free area is open 8:00–19:30 from April to November (until 18:30 December–March), and the paid area 8:30–19:00 with last entry 18:30 (December–March: 8:30–18:00, last entry 17:30). No changes have been announced for after the opening, so treat these as provisional.

Can I drive there? Is there parking?

The prefectural parking lot has a maximum of 116 spaces for regular cars, with a 3-hour limit. It is expected to fill up during the opening period, so we recommend the Yui Rail monorail: about 15 minutes on foot from Shuri Station.

Will there be traffic restrictions or temporary parking during the opening period?

Not announced yet. A government-hosted ceremony is scheduled for November 22, so traffic restrictions around the castle are all but certain, but the area, times, and any temporary parking or shuttle buses have not been announced. If you plan to drive, hold off on firm plans until the details are released.

How many people are admitted per Seiden time slot?

This has not been made public. Only the 30-minute slot length has been announced.

When is the best time to avoid crowds?

Mornings are quietest (the free area opens at 8:00). November 21–23, 2026 is a three-day holiday weekend in Japan, so the first days will be especially crowded. If your dates are flexible, weekdays after the opening rush, or December onward, are calmer.

Shuri Castle Seiden Opening — November 23, 2026

Name: Public opening of the restored Seiden (Main Hall), Shuri Castle
Start: 2026-11-23
End: 2026-11-23
Location: Shurijo Castle Park

The Seiden opens to the public in 13 days November 23, 2026 (public holiday in Japan)

The Seiden (Main Hall) of Shuri Castle (Shurijo) — the symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom, lost in the October 2019 fire — has been fully restored and will open to the public on November 23, 2026 (completion ceremony on November 22). This page organizes the dates, reservations, tickets, hours, fees, parking and crowd advice, using the official Shurijo Castle Park site (oki-park.jp) as the primary source.

Information verified: 2026-09-19. Reservations, fees and the sales schedule were officially announced on July 31, 2026. A few details — such as the capacity of each Seiden time slot — remain unannounced. Always check the official site for the latest information. We check official announcements daily and update this page as soon as details are released.

✅ Confirmed

Public opening (the Seiden opens to visitors) Confirmed

Monday, November 23, 2026 (a public holiday in Japan)

A ceremony marking the completion of the restoration is held the day before, on Sunday, November 22, and Shurijo Castle Park (all park facilities, including the paid areas) is temporarily closed that day. On opening day, an opening ceremony hosted by Okinawa Prefecture runs from 9:00 to 9:45 in the Una, the courtyard in front of the Seiden; it is by invitation only. Because of it, the free areas inside the walls stay closed until 11:15 and the paid areas until 12:00. The Seiden opens to the public (interior viewing) from 12:00 that day.
Timed-entry reservations for the Seiden Confirmed

From November 23, 2026, viewing inside the Seiden requires an advance reservation for a 30-minute time slot. The rest of the paid area needs no reservation.

Visitor numbers are capped for safety and to prevent overtourism. There is no extra charge for the timed slot. Apart from preschool children, visitors who enter free of charge (holders of a disability certificate, prefectural residents aged 70 or over) and annual passport holders also need a reservation. If slots remain unfilled, tickets can be bought online or at the Kofukumon ticket window up to 15 minutes before the entry slot. The exterior of the Seiden can be viewed from the elevated observation deck and elsewhere with a ticket that has no Seiden reservation.
Inside the Seiden: shoes off, and how long it takes Confirmed

You take your shoes off to go inside the Seiden, and the park asks visitors to bring a bag for their shoes. Allow about 90–120 minutes in total from the Suimuikan visitor center, including the Seiden interior (depending on crowds); viewing inside the Seiden itself takes about 15 minutes.

The official breakdown: Shuri Station ⇔ Suimuikan about 20 min / Suimuikan to Shureimon Gate about 5 min / Shureimon to the ticket office and gate about 15 min / gate to the Seiden entrance about 15 min / inside the Seiden about 15 min / the rest of the paid area and back to Suimuikan about 40 min. If you book the last slot before closing (17:00–17:29 from December to March, 18:00–18:29 from April to November), you must pass the Hoshinmon Gate ticket check and finish entering the Seiden by the end of the slot: by 17:30 and 17:40 respectively from December to March, and by 18:30 and 18:40 from April to November. Entry is not possible after the paid area's last-entry time. Checked against the official reservation guide on October 2, 2026.
Opening ceremony: invitations for Okinawa residents (apply by November 4) Confirmed

Okinawa Prefecture is inviting 100 residents to attend the opening ceremony in the Una courtyard from 9:00 to 9:45 on Monday, November 23 (a public holiday); free, with a lottery if oversubscribed. Applications run from Monday, October 19 to Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Applicants must live in Okinawa Prefecture, be able to stay for the whole ceremony and be of elementary school age or older (junior high school students and younger must come with a guardian); up to 2 people per application.

Reception is 8:00–8:40, and a tour of the Seiden interior follows the ceremony (ending around 10:30). Winners are notified by email by Monday, November 9 (no notice is sent to those not selected). There is no parking for general attendees; a shuttle bus leaves the Kenchō-kitaguchi bus stop at 7:30 on November 23 (request it on the application form). Apply via the application page in the sources list below.
When ticket sales open (individual visitors) Confirmed

For entry between November 23 and December 31, 2026, tickets are released in two rounds on a first-come, first-served basis: round 1 from 13:00 on Tuesday, September 1, and round 2 from 13:00 on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

The two rounds are meant to ease the rush when sales open; each round is expected to release a similar number of tickets. For entry from January 1, 2027 onward, sales open at 13:00 on the 1st of the month two months before the visit date. Tickets that do not include Seiden interior viewing go on sale one month before the visit date and remain available until 15 minutes before the last entry that day.
How to book and where tickets are sold Confirmed

Individuals buy online through the official ticketing site Webket (up to 9 tickets per transaction). Groups apply via the group reservation form and places are allocated by lottery.

There are two ticket types: with and without a Seiden interior reservation. Date changes and refunds are only possible for purchases made on the official sales page. For tickets with a Seiden reservation, the date and time can be changed up to the day before the visit (not on the day itself) and refunds are accepted up to 2 days before. For tickets without one, the date can be changed and refunds given up to the day of the visit, but not from the following day. Group reservations for Seiden interior viewing are not accepted for November 23 to December 6, 2026; they start in stages from entry on December 7 (application windows: September 1–7, 2026 for entry in January 2027, October 1–7 for February, and November 1–7 for March). The sales page URL is in the sources list below.
Admission fee for viewing the Seiden Confirmed

There is no separate charge for viewing the Seiden — it is covered by the paid-area admission fee.

There is no extra charge for booking a Seiden time slot. The paid-area admission fee itself, however, is revised for entry from November 23, 2026 (see "Admission fee" below).
Admission fee (paid area) — revised for entry from November 23, 2026 Confirmed

Individuals (fewer than 20 people): adults ¥1,000 / high school students ¥760 / elementary and junior high school students ¥370 / under 6 free. Groups of 20 or more: adults ¥800 / high school students ¥610 / elementary and junior high school students ¥300.

The current fees (adults ¥400 / high school ¥300 / elementary and junior high ¥160) apply for entry up to November 22, 2026. Annual passports are revised too: general ¥2,000 / ¥1,520 / ¥740 and prefectural residents ¥1,500 / ¥1,140 / ¥550. Prefectural residents aged 70 or over and holders of a disability certificate enter free (a Seiden reservation is still required separately). The park cites stronger fire and disaster measures and rising operating costs as the reasons.
Commemorative events program Confirmed

Nine commemorative performances and events are confirmed between June 20, 2026 and February 23, 2027 (more may be added).

Venues include the National Theatre Okinawa (kumiodori and Okinawan theater), the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts (evening courtyard performances of Ryukyuan performing arts), and the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, plus performances in Nagano and Hyogo. See the official special site for the full schedule.

🟡 Current information (provisional — recheck after the opening)

The following reflects how the park operates today. No changes have been announced for after the Seiden opens on November 23, so treat these as provisional.

Opening hours (free area) Current, subject to change

Apr–Nov 8:00–19:30 / Dec–Mar 8:00–18:30
Opening hours (paid area) Current, subject to change

Apr–Nov 8:30–19:00 (last entry 18:30) / Dec–Mar 8:30–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
Prefectural parking lot Current, subject to change

Apr–Nov 8:30–19:30 / Dec–Mar 8:30–18:30. Standard car: ¥500 for the first 60 minutes, ¥1,000 maximum (revised April 2026). Parking is limited to 3 hours.

There are only about 116 spaces for general vehicles. Expect it to be full during the opening period — consider taking the Yui Rail monorail to Shuri Station and walking, or park-and-ride.

🔴 Not yet announced (as of 2026-09-19)

Reservations, fees and the sales schedule are now confirmed (see "✅ Confirmed" above). What remains here are a few smaller details, such as the capacity of each Seiden time slot. We will post them here once announced.

Capacity of each Seiden time slot Not yet announced

To be announced (awaiting official information)

The 30-minute slot length has been announced, but the number of visitors admitted per slot has not been made public.
Opening hours after the Seiden opens Not yet announced

No change to the regular opening hours has been announced. On November 22, the whole of Shurijo Castle Park is temporarily closed for the completion ceremony. On November 23 only, the free areas inside the castle walls stay closed until 11:15 and the paid areas until 12:00.
Traffic restrictions, temporary parking and shuttle buses during the opening period Not yet announced

To be announced (awaiting official information)

A government-hosted ceremony is scheduled for November 22, so traffic restrictions around the castle are all but certain. The area, times, any temporary parking and shuttle services have not been announced. If you plan to drive, we suggest holding off on firm plans until the details are released.
Bookings for entry from April 1, 2027 onward Not yet announced

For both individuals and groups, details are to be announced on the official site once decided.

📋 What you can prepare now

As the opening gets closer, hotels and transport are the first to fill up. Lock in what you can decide now.

Book your hotel first. November 21–23, 2026 is a three-day holiday weekend in Japan, and hotels within walking distance of Shuri Castle are few. Staying along the Yui Rail monorail line in central Naha works well (about 15 minutes to Shuri Station, then a 15-minute walk).
Decide how you will get there. The prefectural parking lot has ~116 spaces with a 3-hour limit and will fill up. Plan around the monorail — a direct ride from Naha Airport to Shuri Station with no transfers (access guide).
Don't miss the booking announcement. Bookmark this page and the official site. We verify official sources daily and post updates with the verification date.
Learn what to look for. The stone dragon pillars, the karahafu gable, the king's throne — the Seiden rewards visitors who know what they are seeing .
Check what to wear. Okinawa in November is warm — light clothing with one layer for the evening is usually enough (see the FAQ).
Pack a shoe bag. You take your shoes off inside the Seiden, and the park asks visitors to bring a bag for their shoes (see the confirmed facts above).

🗓 When to go: opening day, or a little later?

Witness the historic first day, or see it in relative calm? Here is how we read the crowds.

Period	Expected crowds	Best for
November 23 (opening day)	Heaviest	Being part of the moment. Reservation slots will be hardest to get
Weekdays, late November	Busy, but easier than day one	A balance of occasion and comfort, after the holiday weekend
Weekdays from December	Calmer	Taking your time. Note the park closes one hour earlier December–March

Whichever day you choose, go early in the morning — the free area opens at 8:00 and the first hours are the quietest. Evenings are also rewarding: tour groups thin out and the castle walls are illuminated every night.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Each answer is tagged Confirmed, Current (subject to change) or Not yet announced, based on official information. Answers without a tag are our own advice.

When can I see the Seiden of Shuri Castle? Confirmed: The restored Seiden opens to the public on Monday, November 23, 2026 (a public holiday in Japan). A ceremony marking the completion of the restoration is held the day before, on Sunday, November 22.
Do I need a reservation to see the Seiden? Confirmed: Yes. Viewing inside the Seiden requires an advance reservation for a 30-minute time slot (from November 23, 2026; the rest of the paid area needs no reservation). Reservations are made online through the official ticketing site Webket (up to 9 tickets per transaction). For individuals, sales for entry between November 23 and December 31, 2026 open in two rounds on a first-come, first-served basis: round 1 at 13:00 on Tuesday, September 1, and round 2 at 13:00 on Thursday, October 1.
How much does it cost to see the Seiden? Confirmed: There is no separate charge for viewing the Seiden — it is covered by the paid-area admission fee. That fee itself is revised for entry from November 23, 2026. Current fees (adults ¥400 / high school ¥300 / elementary and junior high ¥160) apply through November 22, 2026. From November 23, individual fees (fewer than 20 people) are adults ¥1,000 / high school students ¥760 / elementary and junior high school students ¥370 (under 6 free).
Do I take my shoes off inside the Seiden? Confirmed: Yes. You take your shoes off to view the inside of the Seiden, and the park asks visitors to bring a bag for their shoes, so pack one before you go (checked against the official reservation guide on October 2, 2026).
How long does a visit take? Confirmed: The official guide gives about 90–120 minutes in total from the Suimuikan visitor center, including the Seiden interior (depending on crowds); viewing inside the Seiden itself takes about 15 minutes. Shuri Station to Suimuikan is about 20 minutes. Allow half a day if you also want to walk to nearby sights such as the royal mausoleum Tamaudun and the Kinjocho stone-paved road.
If I book the last slot before closing, when do I need to arrive? Confirmed: You must pass the Hoshinmon Gate ticket check and finish entering the Seiden by the end of your slot. From December to March the last slot is 17:00–17:29: pass the gate by 17:30 and enter by 17:40. From April to November it is 18:00–18:29: pass the gate by 18:30 and enter by 18:40. You cannot enter after the paid area's last-entry time, so leave plenty of time.
Can I visit on November 22 or 23? Confirmed: On Sunday, November 22, Shurijo Castle Park, including the paid areas and all park facilities, is closed for the completion ceremony. On November 23, an invitation-only opening ceremony runs from 9:00 to 9:45, so the free areas inside the castle walls stay closed until 11:15 and the paid areas until 12:00. Public viewing inside the Seiden starts at 12:00 that day.
Can I enjoy Shuri Castle without a reservation? Confirmed: Yes. The free area — including the Shureimon Gate, the stone gates and walls, and the sacred forest of Kyo-no-uchi — requires no reservation. The castle walls are also illuminated every night from sunset to sunrise.
What are the opening hours? Current, subject to change: Currently the free area is open 8:00–19:30 from April to November (until 18:30 December–March), and the paid area 8:30–19:00 with last entry 18:30 (December–March: 8:30–18:00, last entry 17:30). No changes have been announced for after the opening, so treat these as provisional.
Can I drive there? Is there parking? Current, subject to change: The prefectural parking lot has a maximum of 116 spaces for regular cars, with a 3-hour limit. It is expected to fill up during the opening period, so we recommend the Yui Rail monorail: about 15 minutes on foot from Shuri Station.
Will there be traffic restrictions or temporary parking during the opening period? Not yet announced: Not announced yet. A government-hosted ceremony is scheduled for November 22, so traffic restrictions around the castle are all but certain, but the area, times, and any temporary parking or shuttle buses have not been announced. If you plan to drive, hold off on firm plans until the details are released.
How many people are admitted per Seiden time slot? Not yet announced: This has not been made public. Only the 30-minute slot length has been announced.
When is the best time to avoid crowds?: Mornings are quietest (the free area opens at 8:00). November 21–23, 2026 is a three-day holiday weekend in Japan, so the first days will be especially crowded. If your dates are flexible, weekdays after the opening rush, or December onward, are calmer.

More questions are answered in our visitor FAQ in English.

More on this site

Our full coverage — 66 in-depth articles (the castle's history, the 2019 fire and restoration, the dragons, crowd tactics, hotels, night views and more) and 121 nearby spots with walking times from the Seiden — is available in Japanese and works well with browser translation. In English, see the visitor FAQ and access guide.

Sources (official)

Compiled by the site's editor from the official information above. Last verified 2026-09-19. Details may change; always check official information before your visit.