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

 

 

Sho Nei - The Ill-Fated King

Sho Nei rose to the throne in 1589 at the age of 24.  He was the great grandson of Sho Shin, and the adopted son-in-law of Sho Ei.  He would unfortunately be the last king to rule a truly independent Ryukyu Kingdom,  due to events that would transpire in Japan and his response to those events.

In Japan, meanwhile, Hideyoshi had taken power, and was thankful to those who helped him to do so after Nobunaga’s assassination.  One of those people who helped him was Kami Korenori, who in return for his help asked to be given a seaport in the Japan Sea.  Instead he was given Ryukyu.

Hideyoshi did this for several reasons. He was growing more concerned about the European threat from the south. In particular, he knew that the Spanish wanted to conquer all of China, Ryukyu, Japan and Java.  The Spanish had already built two forts and a mission in northern Formosa (Taiwan).  By assigning the Ryukyu Islands to Kami, he knew he would have a trusted ally defending him from any incursions coming from the south.

Hideyoshi Invades Korea

 In 1591, Kami was preparing to go take control of his "gift" of the Ryukyus, but Hideyoshi had made plans to invade Korea,  to be followed by invasion of China.  He called on Kami to serve his cause. 

Kami, being loyal to Hideyoshi, did not want Okinawa to tell China what was being plotted against them, so he ordered Okinawa to suspend all trade with China.  Okinawa, on the other hand, had a long a fruitful trade history with China and considered them allies.  So Sho Nei did not obey this order. 

Hideyoshi wanted all parts of his domain to support his Korean invasion plans, including Okinawa.  On the other hand, Lord Shimazu, the ruler of Satsuma, did not want Okinawa to raise an army and thereby pose a threat to his southern flank. So he convinced Hideyoshi that the Ryukyu Kingdom should only contribute material, not weapons or men.  Hideyoshi agreed to this. 

Sho Nei Refuses to Provide Assistance to Hideyoshi

In 1591 Sho Nei was instructed by Lord Shimazu to have Ryukyu provide enough supplies for 7,000 men for 10 months, and to deliver it in one year, as their contribution to the Korean invasion. 

 

The Shuri government, however, did not want to get involved at all in a war with Korea, nor did they want to offend China, their long time trading partner.

Sho Nei replied to Shimazu that Okinawa was too poor to fulfill such a large request.  Meanwhile he sent word to China about what was going on and pleaded for help, but none came.

The Korean invasion took place, and Hideyoshi planned to investigate why Ryukyu did not provide their support as ordered.  But events of the invasion distracted him from following up on that investigation, to Okinawa's benefit.

In 1598 Hideyoshi died, and so did his struggle with Korea.  Also because of his death, a power struggle broke out yet again in Japan over who would rule that empire.

 

Tokugawa Becomes Ruler of All Japan

The matter of who was to control Japan was decided decisively in 1600 at the famous battle of Sekigahara, where Ieyasu Tokugawa’s forces soundly defeated Hideyoshi’s men.   Tokugawa became Shogun of Japan in 1603, and moved the capital to Edo (current day Tokyo), where his family would rule Japan for nearly 300 years, until the Meiji Restoration returned power to the Emperor.

Under Tokugawa, feudal territories were redistributed based on whose side one fought on during the civil war.  Lords, or Daimyo were divided into two classes:  those who were loyal, called fudai daimyo, and those who had been on the opposing side, called outside daimyo, or tozama daimyo.

The Satsuma clan had sided with Hideyoshi and was therefore an outside daimyo.  Their leader was ordered to move back to Kyushu and to abdicate his title and become a priest.  His son Tadatsune Shimazu was made the new daimyo in 1602.

In 1603, the new Lord Shimazu went to Edo and paid his respects to the new Shogun. In return, Tokogawa confirmed him in Shimazu’s hereditary titles, including the title of Lord of the Twelve Southern Islands (the Ryukyu Islands).  Tokugawa also gave him the name Iehisa.

Sho Nei Refuses to Pay Respects to Tokugawa

Following Iehisa Shimazu's confirmation, he sent an envoy to Shuri and told  Sho Nei that Ryukyu should also submit to Tokugawa and pay their respects to the new Shogun.

In Shuri, competition had been building in the royal circles over the years between groups who were pro-Chinese and groups who were pro-Japanese regarding matters of both culture and politics.

A pro-Chinese advisor to Sho Nei from Kume Village named Jana Teido Oyakata advised Sho Nei to ignore Satsuma’s requests.  Sho Nei followed his advice, and refused to send a tribute to Edo.  This proved to be a very bad idea.

Upon hearing of Sho Nei's refusal, Lord Shimazu requested permission from Tokugawa to “chastise” Okinawa for its rudeness in not paying its due respects to the new Shogun.  In 1606 his request was granted.  He began making plans for an invasion of the Ryukyu Islands.

In February of 1609, the attack on the Ryukyu Kingdom by Lord Shimazu's samurai forces commenced.

The Last of the Truly Independent Okinawan Kings – Sho Gen and Sho Ei

The Ryukyu kingdom flourished under the Second Sho Dynasty. Its royal family led Okinawa to blossom in culture and trade, making it an international crossroads for Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Part of this was due to the fact that China was not interested in anything more than trade with Okinawa, and Japan was too engulfed in civil wars to have time to think about expanding to the south.  That would change once Japan became unified.

The last three Okinawan kings to rule with complete independence from Japan were Sho Gen, Sho Ei, and – for the first part of this reign – Sho Nei.  It would be during Sho Nei’s monarchy that Japan would finally become unified and decide to show its muscle toward Okinawa.

Sho Gen - The Mute King and the Sanshikan

After Sho Sei passed away, his mute son Sho Gen took the throne at the age of 29.  Being unable to speak, it was a very difficult task for him to run the kingdom, and this is where the Sanshikan or “Council of Three” emerged.

The Sanshikan was established in 1556 when Sho Gen came to the throne in order to help him rule the kingdom.  However, the council developed into an established and powerful government organization in its own right. They came to have great influence and established themselves as a strong part of the government operation.  Even after Sho Gen’s death in 1571, the Sanshikan remained active, and continued to act alongside all the kings that followed in the management of Ryukyu’s government.

Sho Gen ruled for 16 years.  During this time the trends around the region that began in Sho Sei’s reign continued, but the Ryukyu kingdom carried on in cultural splendor fairly independently.  This was primarily due to the fact that Japan was still preoccupied in internal chaos with civil war upon civil war, as different factions fought for control of all Japan. 

Ominous things for Okinawa were brewing however.   During Sho Gen’s rule of Okinawa, a man named Oda Nobunaga became Japan’s de facto shogun, and his right hand man was Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Sho Ei

Sho Ei, the second son of Sho Gen, took the throne in 1571 after his father died at the age of 44.  Sho Ei was only 13 years old at that time.  No doubt the Sanshikan played a strong role in guiding him and his decisions, especially in his early years as king.

During Sho Ei’s reign, the Japanese Daimyo who controlled Amami Island was in a conflict at his home in Satsuma.  Sho Ei seized the opportunity and sent a military force to Amami to retake the island which Okinawa had lost control over some 20 years ago under Sho Sei.  They were successful in doing so.

In 1577, Oda Nobunaga, de facto shogun of Japan, was assassinated.  Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobunaga’s loyal lieutenant, hunted down and killed Nobunanga’s assassin and asserted himself as the de-facto shogun of Japan.  He now held great power in Japan, and intended to use it.

Sho Ei died in 1588 at the young age of 30.

Sho Ei's successor, King Sho Nei, would suffer the full fury of a soon to be unified Japan.  His miscalculation of events that were happening in Japan would soon spell disaster for the Ryukyu Kingdom and for him personally.

Sho Sei – 4th King of the Second Sho Dynasty

Following the death of Sho Shin in 1526, his fifth son Sho Sei became king at age 29.  He ruled for 31 years.

While the Ryukyu kingdom was still prosperous, the peak years under Sho Shin had faded, and Sho Sei would find himself fighting battles on several fronts to maintain that prosperity.

Pirates Threaten Naha

The wako, or Japanese pirates, were becoming a bigger and bigger problem, ransacking coastal towns and seaports and stealing whatever they could get their hands on.  They operated all along the coastlines of the area, including China, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Formosa, and eventually Okinawa.

Before 1500, Okinawa was not attacked by pirates, but raids began after 1500.  The wako began attacking ships leaving and entering Naha harbor, and also made raids on villages along the Okinawan shoreline.

In 1527, Naha was under threat of a serious attack from pirates.  Pirate ships typically held 200 to 300 men, and sometimes they would band together to make total manpower strength in the thousands – enough to invade and control a port town.

Responding to the threat, Sho Sei mobilized the villages and issued weapons from storage for every man to prepare to put up a defense.  He also posted watchmen on both the north and south of Naha as lookouts.  In this way, he held off the pirate threat to Okinawa as best he could.



Discord in the South and North Ryukyus

 In 1530, the Nakasone family clan, which had ruled Miyako since the time when Sho Shin sent forces to conquer the island in 1500, was ousted by Meguro Mori Toyomioya, who was shortly thereafter overthrown by Yonaha Sedo Toyomioya. The stability that the Nakasone family had provided in the southern islands was gone.  Sho Sei decided to end local rule there and sent in a magistrate from Shuri to take direct control of the island.

Several years later, in 1537, a rebellion occurred on Amami Oshima Island to the north, and again Sho Sei sent forces to suppress it, which he was able to do.  However, in 1550 he lost control of Amami again, and it would take 20 years to get it back.

More Pirate Troubles – And Firearms Enter the Picture

In a major change in modes of warfare, firearms entered Japan for the first time via an Okinawan trading depot on Tanegashima, brought in by the Portuguese.  This occurred in 1542. 

Sword smiths in the southern part of Japan quickly learned how to reproduce these guns, called arquebuses by the Europeans, but colloquially referred to as "Tanegashima" by the Japanese.  Within a few years they were being produced in large quantities and used by military forces.

By around 1552, the wako pirates were using them in their raids on ports and villages.

The pirate situation around Okinawa in general and Naha in particular was getting worse.  It was so much worse that Sho Sei had two permanent forts constructed on either side of the entrance to Naha harbor, called Yara and Miei.  Construction began in 1551 and was completed in 1553.

Okinawan Culture Continues to Flourish

Despite the military troubles abroad, this was also a time of great culture and refinement for Okinawa.  It was in 1532 that the famous Omoro Soshi was started.  Finished in 1623, it is a 22-volume collection of the ancient poems and songs of different villages and islands that had been passed down orally for generations.  It was a tremendous accomplishment of the royal dynasty for preserving old traditions and culture of Okinawa.

It was based on the Omoro Soshi that a University of Hawaii professor named Mitsugu Sakihara developed a picture of Okinawan life and times in the days of before recorded language arrived.  He wrote a book about his findings entitled “A Brief History of Early Okinawa Based on the Omoro Soshi.”

The Ming China Government Formally Recognizes Okinawan Decorum

 The royal court also continued to host visiting dignitaries in grand style.  In fact, the Ming Chinese government was so impressed with Okinawa’s diligence in following Chinese protocols that in 1554 they presented King Sho Sei with a large tablet called the Shurei No Kuni  or “Land of Propriety”. 

The king was so proud of this honor that he placed the tablet at the entrance Gate of Shuri Castle for all to see.  The name of the gate is "Shureimon."

The original was destroyed in World War II but was reconstructed in the 1950’s and 1960’s.  It was the first part of Shuri Castle to be reconstructed.  When you visit Shuri Castle today you pass through this gate and can see the tablet. 

 

Shureimon and the Shuri No Kuni Tablet.  Source: the author

 Sho Sei died two years later in 1556 at age 59, passing the throne to Sho Gen, the mute king.

Okinawa and the Japanese Pirates - The "Wako"

Acts of piracy along the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and eventually Okinawan coastlines can be traced back to the first century AD.  The incidents and frequency of piracy throughout history in this region basically coincided with periods when Korea and China closed their ports to foreign trade.

Wako Origins

Early pirates were men from Kyushu, Japan and the Inland Sea. They often worked for powerful feudal Japanese leaders. They took shelter from the ruling authorities in defensible inlets in southern Japan.  From there they sailed to Korea, China and Southeast Asia to attack or pillage.  The Chinese called them wako, meaning "Japanese pirates." 

From 1402 to 1523, relations between Ming China and Japan were fairly smooth. However starting in the early 1500’s, tensions began to build.  The Shogun of Japan at the time was too weak to control Japan’s ports and its pirate activities.

Okinawa Threatened

Before 1500, Okinawa was not attacked by pirates, but raids increased after 1500.  The wako began attacking ships as they were leaving and entering Naha harbor. They also made raids on villages along the Okinawan shoreline.

In 1523, Japanese tribute missions clashed in the Chinese port of Ningpo, and ended up burning down the town.  This infuriated the Chinese, who banned foreign trade with Japan.  However, the ban only led to more illicit trade between coastal Chinese towns and the Japanese.

In 1527, Naha was under threat of a serious attack from pirates.  The average pirate ships typically held 200 to 300 men, and sometimes they would band together to make total manpower strength in the thousands – enough to invade and control a port town.

Responding to the threat against Naha, King Sho Sei mobilized all the villages and issued weapons from storage for every man to prepare to put up a defense.  He also posted watchmen on both the north and south of Naha as lookouts.  In this way he successfully held off the wako.

 

Women’s Hand Tattoos and Pirate Legends

Up until the early 1900’s Okinawan women had a tradition of putting tattoos on the backs of their hands.  This was typically done when girls came of age, or were about to be married.  They were considered very beautiful and highly prized by Okinawans, and many different designs developed.  But the Japanese did not like tattoos and thought they were ugly and uncivilized.

Many theories abound about how the hand tattoo tradition started in Okinawa, but the one I find most fascinating relates to the Japanese and the wako.

According to this legend, pirates in the 1500’s would raid coastal villages and ports to take whatever they could find that was valuable and could be traded.  This included capturing girls and young women to sell into prostitution back in Japan. 

 

As this legend goes, because the Okinawan ladies knew that Japanese men hated tattoos, they started placing tattoos on the back of their hands so that they would not be desired by the pirates who came to kidnap them and sell them to pleasure houses in Japan.

Okinawan Woman's Hand Tattoos Source: Okinawa Information.com

 

Wako Are Not Just Japanese Anymore

 By 1530, the civil war in Japan was fully underway, and Japan’s control of its ports was extremely weak.  Japan had very poor relations with China.  Piracy went up as result.

From the 1530’s to the 1540’s Chinese merchants, frustrated with the ban on trade and travel, set up bases in Kyushu to sell expensive Chinese silks for silver.  This activity violated China’s bans on trade.  Even though these illegal traders were now a mixture of Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, the Chinese government still referred to them all as wako.

From 1545 to 1563 piracy grew significantly.  There were continuous raids along all coastlines.  Even Nanjing was attacked.   Raiding parties varied in size from small groups of men, to as large as 4,000 to 5,000 men.  Pirate activity peaked in 1555.

Due to food shortages in Japan, attacks on Korean ports and towns focused on granaries.  Pirate raids on China went after silk, copper, and human captives who were either sold into slavery or prostitution, or held for ransom.

Over time, attacks spread to south China and beyond.  More and more people who were thieves and violent criminals joined the wako ranks, not just traders and smugglers.



Wako Pirate Raids    Source: Wikipedia

Naha Installs Permanent Harbor Defenses 

The pirate situation was getting so bad that Sho Sei had two forts built on either side of the entrance to Naha harbor, called Yarazamori and Miei.  Construction began in 1551 and was completed in 1553.  These fortresses had cannons, and an iron chain that linked them and stretched across the entrance to the harbor to prevent entry of hostile ships.

Firearms Enter the Picture

By the early 1550's, the pirates were now routinely using arquebuses in their raiding parties.  An arquebus is a smooth-bore muzzle-loading firearm used in the 15^th to 17^th centuries.  It is a forerunner of the musket. 

Arquebuses were first introduced to Japan in about 1542 via an Okinawan trading depot on Tanegashima Island near southern Kyushu, brought in by the Portuguese from Europe.    Until modern times, guns in Japan were often referred to as simply "Tanegashima."



Japanese Arquebuses     Source: Wikipedia

In order to deal with the piracy problem, in 1557 the Chinese instituted a ban on overseas trade and travel.  Only countries with tributary relations, such as Okinawa, were allowed to trade, and only at certain designated ports.

Pirate attacks expanded on China, the Inland Sea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. 

Piracy Fades Away

 In 1567 the Ming Court lifted its ban on trade. This allowed many wako to now become "legitimate businessmen" in China’s eyes.  Those who still were involved in illicit trade moved their base camps from Kyushu to either Taiwan or the Philippines.

In 1588, Hideyoshi banned piracy  in Japanese ports, helping to reduce the threat.  Later, Tokugawa put in place stricter controls to stem the problem.

By 1700, most wako activity was gone.  This was due not only to better control of Japan’s ports, but also due to an increased presence of European traders.

References for this article:

http://japanesehistory.info/pirates.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/634306/wako
http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Wako
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arquebus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wokou
George Kerr  "Okinawa: The History of an Island People" revised edition