Unique History of Okinawa

Mista-T's Okinawa Touring Guide

Unique History of Okinawa

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Ruins of Nakijin Castle (It was built in the 14th century by the Hokuzan king)

From the Gusuku Era to the Ryukyu Dynasty

Until the 9th century, small groups of people established communities in many parts of Okinawa. Up to the 13th century, local chieftains, "Aji," of these communities built residential castles, "Gusuku", and strugglesd for power and fame. This period is called the Gusuku Era. In the 14th century, the island was split into 3 kingdoms; the Northern Kingdom (Hokuzan), the Central Kingdom (Chuzan), and the Southern Kingdom (Nanzan or Sanzan). In 1429, Sho Hashi, the king of the Chuzan Kingdom united the three kingdoms, gained control and established the Ryukyu Dynasty. The first Sho family line (Sho Hashi's lineage) ended with the 7th king, Sho Toku. Then, Kanamaru became KIng Sho En in 1470 and started the second Sho family line. The third king of the second Sho line, King Sho Shin, established centralism, a social ranking system, and trade with the Chinsese Ming Dynasty. The era is so called the "Golden Era of the Ryukyu Dynasty" because of the prosperous Ryukyu culture through associations with Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.

Statue of Hisamitsu Shimazu (1817-1887)

From the Satsuma Invasion to World War II

With an eye towards the Ryukyu Kingdom's lucrative overseas trade, the "Satsuma", a kingdom based on he southern part of Kyushu in Japan, invaded Okinawa and took control in 1609. During the reign of Sho Shin, which was about 100 years before the invasion. Okinawa had banned weapons. Prohibitation of weapons made peace on Okinawa, but left it defenseless against the Satsuma invasion. So, the king Shimazu of the Satsuma conqured Okinawa easily. Shimazu allowed the Ryukyu to remain intact, but established severe onctrols over trade. The Satsuma sustained trade with the Ming Dynasty under the name of the Ryukyu Kingdom, while the rest of Japan closed its country to almost all international access until 1853. The Ryukyuan (Okinawan) people suffered under the double exploitation of local taxation and Satsuma controls. After Commodore Perry visited Tokyo (called Edo at that time) in 1853, the change in Japanese government led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. In 1879, the Ryukyu province became the Okinawa prefecture, but the strict land taxation system and local administration remained under the control of the Ryukyu government that was manipulated by the Satsuma. The Okinawan people continued to suffer tyranny for another 30 years. In 1920, Okinawa finally regained autonomy like every other prefecture in Japan. Okinawa was peaceful doing well until the Japanese government started military campaigns in the 1930's. In 1945, Okinawa suffered as the only battlefield in Japan during World War II. The hills and rivers had completely changed their features, and villages were totally destroyed. Moreover, one out of every three Okinawans were sacrificed during the war.

Heiwa no Ishiji (the Stone Wall Monument at Peace Memorial Park in Itoman)

Recovery from devastation to reversion

After the war, Okinawa had to be restored from complete destruction. In 1953, a peace treaty with Japan became effective, and Japan recovered its sovereignty from the U.S. Occupation Government. However, Okinawa remained under the control of the U.S. Military Occupation Government. Although the Okinawan Government performed administrative, judicial, and legislative duties, the U.S. Military Government had ultimate control. The U.S. military was the first priority, and and authority for Okinawan, was quite limited. After 27 years of U.S. military control, the reversion of Okinawa to Japan had succeeded, and Okinawa was annexed to Japan and regained its autonomy. After the annexation, the national government implemented three consecutive ten-year "Okinawa Development Plan" in order to correct the distortion created by U.S. military occupation and to atain the same level of standard of living in other regions of Japan. The goal of the plan is to develop Okinawa as a peaceful economically independent prefecture in Japan.

~ Commodore Perry and Ryukyu ~

Before the U.S. military officer, Commodore Mathew Perry, appealed to Japan to open its country in 1853, he stopped in the Ryukyus (Okinawa) five times. He made the Ryukyus his base when he negotiated with Japan. The U.S. and the Ryukyus signed a treaty of friendship at this time. He was the person who was responsible for opening the door of the long relationship between the Ryukyus (Okinawa) and the U.S. The "Monument for Perry's Landing Site" was built at the International Cemetery in Tomari, Naha City.

Mathew Calbrath Perry (1794 ~ 1858) Perry's party visiting Shuri Castle