Nanjō is a city situated in the southern region of Okinawa Island within the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan. The name Nanjō translates literally to "southern castle," reflecting the historical significance of the area's geography.
The modern municipality was established on January 1, 2006, following the merger of the town of Sashiki and the villages of Chinen, Ōzato, and Tamagusuku. The city covers an area of 49.94 km² and had a population of 46,690 at the time of its inception.
A notable characteristic of the city is the presence of numerous castle ruins, known as gusuku in the Okinawan language, which are distributed throughout the local landscape.