Ryukyu Kingdom after 1609: Central and Local Government Bodies

The King, his Chief Councillor or Sessei, and the Three Councillors called the Sanshikan constituted the top level of the Shuri royal government.

Fifteen officials below them controlled the operations of the seven central government departments, which were divided into a Board of Finance, and a Board of General Affairs.

Anything related to financial matters (taxes) was under the jurisdiction of the Board of Finance.  Tax collection was so important that each of the sanshikan also supervised one of the Board of Finance’s departments.  The Board of General Affairs handled all other matters. 

Agencies under Board of Finance 

·         Department of Domestic Affairs - This department was responsible for agricultural administration, and perhaps more importantly, for collection and storage of tax goods.  It consisted of nine bureaus. 

·         Department of Land Control – The department’s primary function was to monitor and audit the assignment of lands, inspections, and payments of government stipends to the fief holders. They also monitored maritime affairs and tax cloths. It consisted of six bureaus. 

In the feudal system, lands were granted to persons in return for a pledge of service (enfeoffment).  Ryukyu was initially valued 89,000 koku by Satsuma, with 50,000 stipulated for public expenditure, and 39,000 for stipend payments to aristocrats. 

·         Department of Provisions – Consisting of six bureaus, this department handled food procurement matters within the royal palace, and the stockpiling of grains and food for emergencies, which each village was required to maintain.  Another function was to monitor and control the growing and cultivation of sugar cane, a highly valuable tax export item.  They also were in charge of forest management and conservation, to control how many trees were cut per year to avoid deforestation.   

Agencies under the Board of General Affairs 

·         Department of External Affairs – This department consisted of four bureaus and handled the activities of Naha and Kume regarding foreign affairs, especially tribute missions to China.  Chief envoys on tribute missions came from Kume.    Another bureau supervised the National Academy and other schools in Shuri.  The Bureau of Genealogy, created in 1690, was also part of this department. 

·         Department of Palace Affairs – Five bureaus in this department supervised the workforce, palace attendants to the royal family, court functions, and matters related to palace affairs. They also monitored the crafting of stone, metal, and wood used to make utensils, mats, and other goods  for the royal family. A fourth bureau supervised shell-craft works. 

·         Department of Tomari – This department handled the local affairs of Tomari.  It included the Bureau of Household Registry  to record births and deaths of aristocracy.  Its work supplemented that of the Bureau of Genealogy.  The purpose was to keep records in order to handle disputes of succession.  Births and deaths of commoners was not recorded.  A Bureau of Temples and Shrines controlled the  affairs of Buddhist and Shinto shrines.  Other bureaus were those of Fire, Police Inspection, Repair and Maintenance, Smithery, and Tile Works. In all, there were a total of eight bureaus. 

·         Department of Justice – This department had only one bureau. It dealt with civil and criminal cases in the four urban areas.  Criminal cases included damages done to the royal mausoleum and other holy places in Shuri,  or misbehavior of high officials of government.  Civil cases usually involved disputes of succession to aristocratic houses.   

Case trials were closed sessions with several judges.  The judges would present a written opinion to the superintendent of Justice for his decision. His decision then went to the Council of State for review and action, with final approval of the king. 

Penalties could include:  imprisonment in jail, confinement in a temple, payment of fines, beating with whips, tattooing, or exile to remote islands. 

Local Governments 

Local governments of the 4 urban areas of Shuri, Naha, Kume and Tomari were closely tied with central government of the kingdom. Each one operated slightly differently, however.

Local governments on Okinawa Island outside the four urban districts were separate from the central government and were run by a local district (majiri) magistrate, not the aristocrat to whom the area was officially granted. The fief holder was actually required to live in one of the four urban areas, usually Shuri. The local magistrate had a staff that took care of inspection of agricultural activities of peasants, forest conservation and management, police, bookkeeping, accounting, etc.
   

This local magistrate of the district reported directly to the Board of Finance, not the fief holder.  The local governments of the four urban areas fell under the Board of General Affairs.  By doing this, the central government of Shuri maintained strong control over the outlying areas, and the aristocracy itself. 

The fief holder, however, had a strong influence in who filled these local government positions.  Typically the landowner, or fief holder, would send teachers from the urban areas to rural areas to train commoners or peasants in administration and cultural topics.  At age 15 those chosen ones would come to Shuri as stewards of the fief holder.  In this way the landowner could further train them and also judge-first hand their abilities, and character. These people would then be recommended for local government positions when they were sent back to their village.   

The local official and fief holder maintained strong contact with each other as to what was going on in the territory.  This process also developed a strong loyalty/protection bond between them. 

The governments of Sakishima (Miyako and Yaeyama) and Kume island were a mixture of a central government and local government functions.  People on these islands were considered to be in a special social class – inferior to Okinawa aristocrats but superior commoners.
 

 

Next:  Social Classes and Genealogy in Ryukyu

 

References:
 

Mitsugu Matsuda, “The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872”. Gushikawa City, Okinawa, Japan: Yui Publishing Co., 2001.

George H. Kerr, "Okinawa: the History of an Island People, revised edition". Tokyo: Tuttle, 2000. 

Ryukyu Kingdom after 1609: The King and his Central Government

Although the Satsuma clan took control of foreign trade and imposed heavy taxes on Ryukyu, they did not change the basic government structure that had been in place before the invasion of 1609.  Instead, they continued to let Ryukyu use its governmental structure of choice. If anything, they formalized it.

Governmental Structure

The basic organization of the Ryukyu royal government was as follows:

Central Government

·         King

·         Council of State

o   Sessei   (chief councilor or prime minister)

o   Sanshikan (the three councilors)

o   The 15 officials in charge of the various governmental departments and bureaus 

Central Government Departments

·         Board of Finance

o   Department of Domestic Affairs

o   Department of Land Control

o   Department of Provisions

 

·         Board of General Affairs

o   Department of External Affairs

o   Department of Place Affairs

o   Department of Tomari

o   Department of Justice 

Local Rural and Outer-Island Governments

·         Majiri or District Offices

·         Mura or Village Offices 

 

The King, Sessei, Sanshikan, and the 15 Officials, all aristocracy, were the men who ruled Ryukyu.  These 20 people made all major high-level decisions regarding the internal affairs of the kingdom.

Duties and Responsibilities

King

 

The king's position was basically the same as before the invasion, except Satsuma had to formally approve successors.  This was largely a formality.  There were  12 successive kings from 1609 until the end of the Ryukyu dynasty. 

The king was theoretically the supreme authority in government.  All business of importance needed his approval.  All appointments and decisions made by the king were based on recommendations of his councilors.  In court trials, the king always had final decision.  He also had certain religious duties and ceremonial functions to perform throughout the lunar calendar year.   

The head priestess, her three assistants, and all positions down to the local village noro priestesses were appointed by the king.  The kingdom-wide priestess organization was a system that had been in place since the 1400’s.  

The head priestess was granted the fief of Chinen, and received a government stipend, as did all priestesses down to the local village noro.   Their function was to care for all the religious holy sites, and pray for the long life of the king and the country. 

Council of State 

The Council of State included the Sessei, or Chief Councillor, the Sanshikan, or “Three Councillors”, and a group of 15 men who supervised the seven central governmental departments of the Shuri  government.  The Council of State controlled all the activities of the kingdom.  They acted as a group with shared responsibility for the country, and were the sole policy formulating body.  The king, although theoretically in ruler of the kingdom, essentially became a figurehead.    

The Chief Councillor (Sessei) 

The Chief Councillor was advisor to the king.  This office first created in 1253 by King Eiso.  It was formalized in 1611 after Satsuma invasion.  The King chose the Chief Councillor, and it was usually someone from his own family.  The appointment was for life.  Most Chief Councillors had travelled to Japan for several years prior to assuming the position.  The Chief Councillor handled formal relations with Japan.  

The Three Councillors (Sanshikan) 

The Three Councillors were also chosen from royal families, but those families were more removed in lineage from the king than the Chief Councilor.  The first written evidence of this group is 1522, and the first mention of the term “sanshikan” is 1562. They were also appointed for life.  

The sanshikan took initiative on internal state affairs.  They also ruled over the Board of Finance, with each one supervising one of the three departments in organization .  They were also more involved in affairs with China, and often were sent on tribute missions.  In principle they were all equal, but in reality seniority was often a factor.  One of Okinawa’s most influential statesmen was a man named Sai On, a Councillor who served for 25 years. 

The Fifteen Officials:  Boards of Finance and General Affairs 

Fifteen officials controlled the operations of the seven central government departments.   Anything related to financial matters (taxes) was under the jurisdiction of the Board of Finance.  Tax collection was so important that each of the sanshikan also supervised one of the Board of Finance’s departments.  The Board of General Affairs handled all other matters.

 

Next:  Functions of the Government Departments and Local Governments
 

References:
 

Mitsugu Matsuda, “The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872”. Gushikawa City, Okinawa, Japan: Yui Publishing Co., 2001.

George H. Kerr, "Okinawa: the History of an Island People, revised edition". Tokyo: Tuttle, 2000.

 

Ryukyu Kingdom after 1609: Geographic Districts and the Tax System

The invasion of Ryukyu by Japan in 1609 led to many changes in Okinawan life.  In particular the government of the kingdom had to change to meet the new demands of Satsuma that were put upon the kingdom.

Prior to the invasion, activities of foreign affairs and maritime trade were controlled by the royal family.  After the invasion, these functions were controlled strictly by Satsuma. 

Ryukyu still conducted tribute missions to China to pay homage to the Chinese emperor.  Now in addition they had to pay annual taxes to Satsuma, and make tribute missions to Edo (Tokyo) as well.

Satsuma on the one hand wanted to “Japanize” Ryukyu and curb Chinese influence, but on the other hand wanted it to appear to foreign traders that Ryukyu was still completely independent of Japan.

The Ryukyu government’s primary role now was to collect taxes and to handle the internal affairs of the kingdom. 

Administrative Districts of the Ryukyu Kingdom

The traditional administrative divisions of the country were formalized after 1609 by Satsuma.  The country was divided administratively into three major groupings with subdivisions as follows:

1.       Four urban districts:

o   Shuri

o   Naha

o   Kume

o   Tomari (which included Torishima island) 

2.       Rural districts of Okinawa Island known as majiri - similar to the original territories of the three kingdoms:

o    Kunigami to north

o   Nakagami in the central area

o   Shimajiri in the south

o   Each majiri was further subdivided into villages or towns, called mura 

3.       Sakishima - the “far-off” islands of Miyako and Yaeyama 

The Four Urban Districts 

The aristocracy (samure or samurai) and the urban commoners (machi hyakusho) were the only people allowed to live in the four urban districts, which were tax free.   

The district of Shuri was divided in three sections or fira, named Mawashi, Hae, and Nishi.  

Naha was the main port and Satsuma’s resident commissioner lived here.  Naha was divided into four towns called Nishi, Agari, Isumizaki, and Wakasa. 

Tomari was another port town and was informally divided into east and west sections. 

Kume had a special position. This was where the descendants of the Chinese “36 families” lived.  They had arrived in 1392 to assist the Okinawans in tributary affairs for the Ming dynasty.  There was no subdivision of Kume. 

The people living in these four areas were supported by the government with taxes paid by the people living in the 560 villages or mura throughout the kingdom. 

The Rural Districts 

The rural commoners (inaka hyakusho) were required to live in their respective villages.  No one could change residence without permission. This was to ensure that the social structure was maintained, and to preserve stable crop production.  If too many people were to leave the rural farming areas for the urban districts, this would put a strain on ability to grow crops and pay the taxes of the kingdom.   

Sakishima and Kume Island 

The Sakishima district (Miyako and Yaeyama) and Kume island were organized a bit differently. They were ruled by a class of people who were considered socially not as high as Okinawan aristocrats, but higher than peasants.  

The Tax System 

Tax collection was an important obligation of the Shuri government.  Taxes had to be increased to pay Satsuma, and to support local aristocracy. Local production had to make up for lost foreign trade revenue. Taxes also had to be collected more efficiently.   

Each mura or village was a tax unit, and was assigned land for the production of grains such as rice, wheat, beans, and millet.  Each individual mura was assigned a quota to be provided to the district chief, who reported to the Shuri government.  The village was collectively responsible for payment of their tax burden.  

Land was held as common property, and was assigned to individual households for cultivation.  Land allotments were changed periodically.  The tax obligation was the responsibility of the village, not individual households.  If one household failed to deliver, the others had to make up the difference. 

The community therefore had an obligation to meet any shortcomings of individuals for whatever reason - lack of skill, poor weather, illness, etc.   
 

Community of Mutual Obligation

Cooperation among the people of the village became imperative for survival.   Group responsibility in maintaining the welfare of the community members who suffered economic hardship fostered a deep sense of mutual social obligation. This sense of community responsibility also put a burden on the elite gentry, since they had a strong link and vested interest to the village leader in each district.  The system of accepted mutual obligations is a common trait to this day in Okinawan culture.  

Sakishima and Kume Island had slightly different tax obligations. For these islands there was a “head tax” levied on individuals.  Males age 15-50 were required to pay set amounts of millet in Miyako, and rice in Yaeyama.   Females of the same age group were required to produce quotas of woven cloth.

Peasants of Kume island were taxed according to the communal system used in Okinawa, and also taxed as individuals for grain and woven cloth.

Next:  The Ryukyu Kingdom’s Government and Structure

References:

Mitsugu Matsuda, “The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872”. Gushikawa City, Okinawa, Japan: Yui Publishing Co., 2001.

George H. Kerr, "Okinawa: the History of an Island People, revised edition". Tokyo: Tuttle, 2000.

The Okinawan Sweet Potato and Sugar Cane Save Ryukyu

Noguni Sokan and the Okinawan Sweet Potato

Noguni Sokan was a person from the town of Noguni, Okinawa, in a district that is today Kadena and Chatan towns.  He was a minor official (sokan) of a trade vessel to China. He worked for the central government of Shuri under King Sho Nei.  So, Noguni Sokan's real name is not known.

While stationed at the Ryukyu trading depot at Fuzhou, in the district of Fujien Province, China on a trading mission,  Noguni studied Chinese texts on farming and agriculture, and experimented with various plants in his own garden there. In the course of his work he discovered a new potato plant that had arrived in China just a few years earlier from other merchant traders.

From South America to China

The Chinese called it the barbarian potato (fan-shu).  It is believed to have its origin from the South American Aztecs, from where it was brought to Europe sometime between 1492 and 1500.  Spaniards brought it to the Philippines around 1570.  Although they ordered that it not be exported from the Philippines, traders took it to China about 1594 anyway.  Noguni first learned about it in 1600.

Noguni wondered if it could be grown in Okinawa, where it might help reduce periods of famine, which could often occur due to typhoons or bad yields of crops.  He brought some plant seedlings back with him when he returned to Okinawa in 1605.

The Sweet Potato in Okinawa and Beyond

The initial plantings in Okinawa were successful.  It could grow in Okinawa's thin soil, and withstand typhoons and drought quite well.  He was encouraged by his superior, Gima Shinjo to continue to pursue its potential value.

In 1615, an English trader named William Adams sent 500 potato slips from Naha to Richard Cocks in Hirado, Nagasaki, in northern Kyushu.  This was its first introduction to mainland Japan. 

It was so successful in Okinawa that by 1620, just 15 years later, it was being grown all across the islands as a major source of food for the people.  And it happened to arrive just as the Japanese dominance of Okinawa after the 1609 invasion had pushed many Okinawans into poverty due to the high tax burden they faced and the loss of foreign trade profits.  At that time in history, the Okinawans called it the Chinese potato (han shu).

Sometime between 1665 and 1675, some decades after the Satsuma clan had forcibly entered Ryukyu, it is reported that a Japanese man named Ryuiemon took the sweet potato  to Satsuma, and from there it spread throughout Japan, being called the Satsuma imo or Satsuma potato.

In 1700, a stone altar was built for Noguni near his grave in Kadena Okinawa.  In 1789, the Ryukyu government recognized his contribution to  the welfare of the country by promoting his family to Samurai status.

Today, the beni imo (crimson potato) is called the Okinawan sweet potato in America.  In Hawaii, it is also sometimes called the Hawaiian sweet potato.

Source:  recipe tips.com

Gima Shinjo Introduces Sugar Cane and Cotton

Gima Shinjo (1557 - 1644) was instrumental in more than just Noguni Sokan's sweet potato endeavors.  He was very interested in agriculture and was one of the original hostages that accompanied King Sho Nei to Kagoshima in 1609.  While there he studied Japanese farming methods and foodstuffs.

After he returned to Okinawa he was very involved in trying to improve the crop production of the Ryukyu kingdom as a means to compensate for the serious loss of income following the Japanese invasion.

In addition to his part in development of the sweet potato, Gima Shinjo sent a mission to China in 1620 to investigate sugar cane and to see if it could be successfully brought to Okinawa.  In 1623 he developed a sugar cane press and determined that the crop could indeed grow well in the Ryukyu climate.  Sugar plantings then began in earnest.

After realizing that sugar cane could be sold at a premium price in Japan, it was soon being planted all over the kingdom in place of lesser valued crops.  It was so popular that in 1662 a magistrate was created to put in place strict controls on how much acreage could be devoted to sugar cane at the expense of more important domestic food crops.  The government was worried that its food reserves  for the kingdom could come into jeopardy if agriculture was not regulated properly.

 So the Okinawans developed sugar cane as an export crop, and grew the Okinawan sweet potato for internal consumption as a major food staple of the islands.

 Gima Shinjo was also instrumental in bringing cotton plants to Okinawa from China and promoting a cotton textile industry for Ryukyu.

Two Great Men

In 1937 a shrine was built by the Okinawan Prefectural government at Naha to commemorate Noguni Sokan and Gima Shinjo.

In 1955 a shrine to commemorate Noguni Sokan was constructed at Kadena.  Kadena Town holds an annual festival in Noguni Sokan's honor every October.

Gima Shinjo's tomb is located in Shuri and is part of the Hijigaabira historical walk.

Ryukyu Life After the Japan Invasion of 1609

Following his successful invasion of Okinawa by Japan, Lord Shimazu of the Satsuma clan of Kyushu made several major changes to Okinawa that would strongly affect Okinawa's future development.

New Rules for Foreign Trade

Satsuma desired the Ryukyu kingdom because of its extensive foreign trade.  However, in theory, the Shogun of Japan had decreed that only the port of Nagasaki, Japan was sanctioned for trade with outsiders, and furthermore trade was only allowed with Dutch and Chinese ships.

Okinawa was in a difficult position, serving two masters. They feared reprisals from the Japanese Shogun for trading with China. Likewise, they feared reprisals from China if China were to consider them Japanese and therefore impose an embargo on Naha port.

In order for Satsuma to continue trade through the port of Naha in Okinawa, Satsuma needed to disguise its actions.  Lord Shimazu therefore ordered Okinawa to hide their true relationship with Japan to outsiders, so as to avoid reprisal from Japan's Shogun.  He also did not want to lose face with China and thereby lose that lucrative trade relationship.

The instructions to Okinawa from Satsuma were as follows to implement this scheme:

• Whenever a foreign ship came into port, all Japanese personnel were to leave Shuri and Naha.
• Chinese were henceforth forbidden to settle in Okinawa.
• Okinawans were ordered to pretend to be ignorant of Japanese language.
• An official list of questions and answers was prepared to deal with inquisitive strangers

 The “Japanization” of Okinawa

Despite any appearances to outsiders, Satsuma wanted to curb the Chinese influence in Okinawa and bring the country more in line with Japanese ways.  In particular, there was a clash of cultures between Chinese Confucian scholars and Japanese Buddhist priests. One of Satsuma’s first acts was to appoint a Japanese Buddhist Priest named Kikuin as Sessei, or prime minister, in 1611.

Okinawa was continually reminded to conduct business in Japanese-like fashion with Satsuma, and were encouraged to emulate the Japanese in all matters not relating to trade with China.  This included medical practices, religious beliefs (Shinto and Buddhism), wood and metal handicrafts, and agricultural methods.

From 1611 to 1626, Satsuma demanded that national hostages be provided as a sign of allegiance.  These hostages included royal sons, descendants of former lords, and princes of aji (lords). Each hostage served two years in Kagoshima.  This was not only a means of ensuring obedience from the Ryukyu government, but also an opportunity to expose these young persons to Japanese customs, philosophy, and culture.

Beginning in 1630, each of the Sanshikan were required to live in Satsuma for three years.  This practice ended in 1646.

In 1631, a Resident Commissioner position was established.  This person served a three-year term and represented Satsuma.  Essentially all communications and transactions between Okinawa and Satsuma went through him.

Tribute Missions to Edo

Okinawa was also now expected to make tribute missions to Edo (Tokyo) on a regular basis.  This meant that Okinawa was now paying tributes to both China and Japan, adding further to the economic burden on their country.

These tribute missions to Edo were fully controlled by Satsuma. They would start from Kagoshima and make their way overland to Edo.  The entourage from Okinawa included top members of the Shuri government and a large staff of scholars, craftsmen, administrative officers, and merchants.  They were accompanied by an armed Satsuma escort.  The Okinawans would then return to their home country with many new ideas, as well as new technology from Japan of importance to the Ryukyu economy.

These tribute missions had a strong influence on Okinawa, and were another major factor in the "Japanization" of Okinawa.  There were a total of 18 missions to Edo from 1611 to 1850.

Okinawan Economy Shifts from Trade to Agriculture

Satsuma took over all control of foreign trade for its own purposes, and this cut off a major source of wealth for Okinawa.  Independent trade with Southeast Asia was ended.  Satsuma also took most of the wealth of the country as taxes. Tribute missions to Japan were also now required of Okinawa, in addition to the Chinese missions. The Ryukyu kingdom was forced to find ways to survive, based on their own island resources. The standard of living steadily declined.

This led to an increased emphasis on agriculture in Okinawa.  There was tremendous pressure put on villages to produce enough to feed and clothe the people in Shuri, Naha, Kume, and Tomari, and to pay the taxes demanded by Satsuma.  And of course, the peasants and commoners themselves needed to produce enough so that they would have something left for their own survival.

It just so happens that an enterprising fellow named Noguni Sokan, while on a trading mission to China in the early 1600's, just a few years before the Japanese invasion, discovered a plant that would become a life-saver for  Ryukyu – the "Okinawan" sweet potato.

Ryukyu and King Sho Nei - Hostages of Japan

After the Japanese invasion of Ryukyu in 1609, King Sho Nei and his Sanshikan advisors were taken back to Kyushu as hostages while the Satsuma clan took control of the Okinawan kingdom.  Conditions in Okinawa changed dramatically.

Economic Hardship for Ryukyu

 Lord Shimazu of Satsuma valued Okinawa for its lucrative foreign trade, and took measures to make sure that Satsuma, rather than the Ryukyu Kingdom, profited the most from it.

A samurai from Satsuma named Honda Chikamasa was placed in charge of Okinawa during King Sho Nei's absence.   He led a group of 14 high commissioners and a staff of 168 men to evaluate the Okinawan economic situation and assets.  This included the island of Okinawa, as well as Miyako and Yaeyama. His conclusion was that Okinawa annual revenue was valued at around 90,000 koku of rice.  In the Japanese measurement system, one koku represented how much rice was needed to feed one adult for one year.  One koku equaled about 330 pounds of rice. 

In comparison to Okinawa, Satsuma’s annual revenue at that time was over 700,000 koku, and Tokugawa’s annual revenues were 3,000,000 koku.

Taxes were imposed on Ryukyu as follows:

• An overall tax of 1/8 (12.5%) on "total revenue" was established.
• In addition, the King was required to pay the equivalent of 8% of the total kingdom's revenue from his own reserves.
• In total, Okinawa was taxed by the Satsuma clan at a rate of 20 - 22% of its total estimated revenue.

Furthermore, all foreign trade was monopolized by Satsuma and directed to serve its interests, not those of Okinawa.  All trade had to be approved by Satsuma.  Overall value of this trade was about 100,000 koku-equivalent.

So Ryukyu’s overall revenues (domestic production plus foreign trade) dropped by 75%, from approximately 190,000 koku annually down to about 70,000.

Additionally, the northern islands of the Amami group, Yoron, Toku, and Kikai, those closest to Kyushu, were annexed directly into Satsuma territory and were no longer considered part of the Ryukyu kingdom.

King Sho Nei's Two-Year Captivity

Meanwhile, King Sho Nei was held in Kyushu as hostage while the economic survey of Okinawa took place. During that period he and his escorts were taken to Edo (Tokyo) to see the Shogun Tokugawa.  This was a long overland journey which afforded the Satsuma clan to proudly show off the foreign king it had captured.

Upon returning to Kagoshima, the King was told he could return to his native Okinawa if he would agree to the following conditions:

• First, he must agree that the Islands of Ryukyu were always a part of Satsuma's domain.
• He must admit that he had disobeyed Toyotomi Hideyoshi's requisition for supplies in the past.
• Therefore all the trouble that has befallen Ryukyu is his fault.
• As a result he and Okinawa would be humble servants of Satsuma.
• These conditions were to pass down from generation to generation.
• Ryukyu will obey this edict and any future edicts that may come from Satsuma in the future.

King Sho Nei's Return to Okinawa

To consummate the agreement of the conditions for King Sho Nei's return, a formal signing ceremony was arranged in Kagoshima.  The King and his fellow captives were brought to a shrine for the event.

All were told to sign the formal agreement.  One of King Sho Nei's men refused.  That man was Jana Teido Oyakata, the man who had advised Sho Nei to ignore Japan's earlier demands.

Upon refusing to sign, he was taken to one side and immediately beheaded.  This clearly proved that the offer from Satsuma was one that couldn't be refused.  Everyone else signed the agreement.

King Sho Nei returned to Okinawa in the fall of 1611, some two years after he was captured in May of 1609.  However, three of his most important officers were held hostage until the King had returned to Shuri and demonstrated by his actions the acceptance of the new conditions. Sho Nei was still king of Ryukyu, but only if he followed Satsuma's wishes.

One year later, in 1612, the three officers were granted their freedom.  Two of them returned to Okinawa, but one stayed in Kagoshima, changed his name to a Japanese name, and joined Shimazu's camp.

Sho Nei was deeply affected by his exile, and the subjugation and the near impoverishment of his country.  As he neared his death, he ordered that his body not be buried with his ancestors in the royal tombs at Shuri.  Instead he was to be buried in a place near Urasoe, and a mask be placed over his face in death.

The King died in 1620,  nine years after his return from captivity.  He was 56 years old.

Japan Invades the Ryukyu Kingdom - 1609

The invasion of Okinawa by Japanese soldiers was a major turning point in the Ryukyu Kingdom’s history.  An excellent account of the events preceding, during and after is available in a book by Stephen Turnbull entitled “The Samurai Capture a King:  Okinawa 1609” © 2009 by Osprey Publishing. 

Preparations for War

 In 1606 Lord Shimazu asked for, and was given permission by the shogun of Japan to chastise Okinawa.  Prior to the invasion, Lord Shimazu tried to negotiate a settlement with the king of Ryukyu.

 In 1608, according to Turnbull, he sent envoys to King Sho Nei with the following demands:

1.  Recognize the unpaid debt that Okinawa owed Hideyoshi for the Korean invasion,

2.  Be grateful that Okinawa was spared from being ordered to commit men, and only required to commit materials, due to the generosity of the Satsuma clan, who had been their true overlords since 1206,
3.  Pay homage to Tokugawa, Shogun of Japan,
4.  Turn the Amami islands over to Satsuma.

Sho Nei refused, and perhaps made plans for an impending confrontation, but he may have only anticipated a problem in the Amami islands, which had been an area of dispute between Okinawa and Japan for centuries and in fact had traded hands several times. 

Lord Shimazu, however had designs on the entire island chain.  His plan was to first take over Amami Oshima.  From there he would launch his attack on Okinawa.  But if he was repulsed in Okinawa, he would retreat back to Amami Oshima and declare it his own territory.

In preparation, Shimazu assembled 3,000 fighting men (800 samurai and 2,200 foot soldiers or ashigaru).  

April 8 – Satsuma’s Forces Set Sail

Led by General  Kabayama,  troops set sail from Yamakawa in Southern Kyushu on April 8, 1609 in over 70 war ships.  Weapons included:  arquebuses (hand held firearms), spears, bows, swords. 

Ryukyu probably had 3,000 men defending Amami Oshima, and 3,000 defending Naha harbor, with 100 men stationed on Tokunoshima (Turnbull).  Their weapons included Chinese hand cannons (3-barrel), spears, bows, and swords.  Shown below is a 10-barrel hand cannon.

Both sides were using firearms by the mid- to late- 1500’s.  However the European-based arquebuses of Satsuma were more advanced than the hand cannons developed in China and used by Ryukyu.  The more advanced weaponry, combined with volley- fire tactics that Satsuma troops had developed and perfected during the Korean campaign with Hideyoshi years earlier, would be a deciding factor in the battle.

 

Hand Cannon  Source:  Wikipedia

Japanese Arquebus   Source: Wikipedia

                                    

 



Ryukyu Crest (Wikipedia)

Shimazu Crest (Wikipedia)

 

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 11 - Attack on Amami Oshima

 The first assault began at Kasari Bay on April 11.  Five days later, troops landed by ship at Yamatohama.  Satsuma forces were resisted fiercely by 3,000 Ryukyu warriors.

By April 20, Satsuma’s men had defeated the defenders, and secured the entire island.  This would be their fallback position should the battle not go well in Okinawa.

 April 24 - Attack on Tokunoshima Island

On April 24 Satsuma forces invaded Tokunoshima at Shutoku and advanced to Kametsu.  On April 26, Satsuma’s troops went into the mountains to flush out Ryukyuan fighters who were entrenched there.  They encountered between 200 to 300 men who fought with spears, sharpened bamboo poles, and knives, but these were no match against the invading army's arquebus gunfire.

April 29 – Attack on Northern Okinawa Island

On April 29 Satsuma’s men landed at the small island called Kourijima in Unten Harbor on the Motubu peninsula near Nakijin Castle.  That same day they began their assault on that castle, the large fortress once ruled by the King of Hokuzan during the days of the Three Kingdoms, and considered a major military stronghold.

Nakijin defenders received reinforcements of 1,000 men.  Half of those reinforcements were lost in battle.  By May 2 Nakijin castle walls were breached and its defenders routed.

Satsuma’s basic tactic against fortress defenses was to use gunfire to clear the castle walls of defenders, then scale up the walls using ladders, and use large axes to break down the gate to the fortress.  His men could then enter and overrun the castle.

This tactic was developed and honed in Korea, where he had successfully conquered similar castle defenses.  Also to Satsuma’s advantage was the fact that the castle walls in Okinawa had low parapets (protective walls) with little space for troops on the wall to defend themselves and return fire.  This made them vulnerable to gunfire attack.

Walls of Shuri Castle    Source: The Author

 

The fall of Nakijin Castle spread panic throughout the rest of Okinawa Island.

 

May 3 – Landing at Yomitan, Okinawa Island

On May 3 the Satsuma army anchored at Yomitan and split their forces into two equal groups.  One group headed by land toward Urasoe Castle, which was on the way to Shuri Castle.  As they advanced, they set fire to buildings to instill chaos and panic among the Okinawans.

The other half of the army set sail to attack Naha Harbor.

May 4 – Attack on Naha Harbor

On May 4 the warships of Satsuma attacked Naha Harbor but were repulsed. The two castles at the harbor entrance were armed with cannons, and that combined with an iron chain that was raised across the harbor to prevent ships from entering, foiled their plans.  The invaders retreated and instead landed at Makiminato, near Urasoe, where they joined up with the land force already there.

May 6 – Attack on Urasoe and Shuri Castles

The re-unified Satsuma army attacked and overwhelmed Urasoe castle, using the gunfire and wall scaling tactics that worked at Nakijin.  They also gained control of the Taihei Bridge at Tairabashi. This is a bridge that crosses a river separating Urasoe from Shuri Castle.  The march to Shuri was now unimpeded. (This bridge was destroyed by the Japanese in World War II to prevent American troops from advancing on Shuri.)

The defenders at Naha, realizing what was happening, rushed to Shuri, but were too late to save it.  Shuri was isolated.

Shuri castle defenders resisted fiercely.  They even used poisonous native habu snakes which they placed in the path of the invaders to try to slow them down.  But in the end, Shuri Castle was taken by the same methods, combining firearms, wall scaling, and gate-smashing.

King Sho Nei Surrenders

King Sho Nei, still inside Shuri Castle, found himself surrounded in his palace.  He surrendered to prevent further bloodshed and was taken hostage, as were the three Sanshikan.

Satsuma’s men now moved to Naha from both land and sea to claim the harbor.  By this time Urasoe, Naha and Shuri were deserted as people fled to the mountains to hide.

On May 7 the palace was methodically looted by Satsuma’s men, and buildings set on fire.  The gold, silver, lacquer ware and other precious artifacts were loaded on the ships in Naha harbor.

With that, General Kabayama and most of his men set sail for home taking as hostages the Ryukyu king, his eldest son, and the Sanshikan. 

Japanese Samurai remaining in Okinawa had a 3-day sake drinking binge to celebrate their victory.  Meanwhile, the refugees of those pillaged cities were suffering in the mountains from starvation and exposure. 

General Kabayama sent envoys to Kumejima and Miyako Islands to relate what had happened in Shuri and to demand their surrender, which he received.  That was the end of the fight for the Ryukyu Islands. 

May 28 – King Sho Nei is Delivered to Lord Shimazu

The victorious Satsuma conquerors returned to Kagoshima on May 28, some eight weeks after their departure.  King Sho Nei was paraded in front of Shimazu’s court.  More humiliation would follow.

Okinawa was now a conquered country.

References:
Stephen Turnbull.  The Samurai Capture a King:  Okinawa 1609.  Oxford, UK:  Osprey Press, 2009
http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Invasion_of_Ryukyu
George H. Kerr.  Okinawa: the History of an Island People, revised edition. Tokyo: Tuttle, 2000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_cannon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arquebus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Kingdom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimazu_clan