Ancient castle waits more than century for G8

July 21, 2000
Web posted at: 10:55 PM HKT (1455 GMT)

OKINAWA, Japan (Reuters) - After m-ore than a century in the shadows, Okinawa's royal palace is again welcoming the rich and the powerful from foreign lands.

Leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) -- the world's seven advanced nations and Russia -- will gather for an elaborate dinner at Shuri Castle on Saturday, the first time in 134 years that an overseas delegation has been feted at the palace.

It was in 1866 that Shuri Castle's North Hall was the site of a banquet for Chinese envoy Zhai Xin and others sent to pay their respects to a deceased Okinawan king and give their stamp of approval to the crowning of the new King Sho Tai of the Ryukyu Kingdom, now known as southern Japan's Okinawa Prefecture.

The elaborate investiture ceremonies were the highest state functions at Shuri Castle, seat of power for Ryukyu kings, and were studded with performances by renowned musicians and complimented with the best cuisine and local liquor.

More than 20 dishes were served and more than a few court nobles and guests had trouble standing up after washing down their meal with countless glasses of powerful spirits.

The only time an envoy who did not come from Asia was honored -- however reluctantly -- with a formal banquet at Shuri Castle was in 1853, when America's Commodore Matthew Perry forced his way into the castle on his mission to pry open Japan to the Western world.

The Sho kings ruled a kingdom that paid tribute to both China and Japan, and a Chinese emperor dubbed the island nation the "country of courtesy" because of its exceptional hospitality.

After the last Sho king fell from power in the late 1870s and the island was annexed by Japan, Shuri Castle fell into disrepair.

During World War Two, the palace was devastated when it was fiercely attacked by Americans because it served as the headquarters for Japan's Imperial Army.

Restoration work began on the castle in 1986, and it was partially reopened in 1992.

Workers preparing for the G8 summit have consulted ancient texts to put traditional touches on the castle for the leaders evening of dinner and entertainment.

The details have been cloaked in secrecy so far, but the evening at the castle is certain to be full of traditional touches -- and with the bill for the summit a jaw-dropping $750 million the food should be good.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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