Ryūkyū Islands
The Ryūkyū Islands (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū-shotō), also known as the Nansei Islands (南西諸島, Nansei-shotō, lit. "Southwest Islands"), are a chain of Japanese islands in a line between Kyushu and Taiwan.[1] The native people of the Ryūkyū Islands are the Ryūkyūan people and its native languages are the endangered Ryukyuan languages.
History
In the islands, the Ryūkyū Kingdom (琉球王国, Ryūkyū-ōkoku) dates from the middle 14th century.[2] It entered into a tributary relationship with Imperial China.[3]
In the early 17th century, the kingdom entered into a tributary relationship with Japan after the Satsuma Domain invaded.[4][5]
In 1765, the islands were described by Hayashi Shihei in Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu.[6]
Timeline
- 1314: Kingdoms of Nanzan, Chūzan, and Hokuzan are founded
- 1429: Ryūkyū Kingdom is founded
- 1609: Ryūkyū Kingdom is invaded by the Satsuma Domain, causing its vassal status to Japan and its loss of the Amami Islands
- 1872: creation of the Ryūkyū Domain, 1872-1879[7]
- 1879: creation of Okinawa Prefecture[7]
- 1945: Battle of Okinawa
- 1972: United States gives the Ryūkyū Islands back to Japan
Geography
The islands are at the eastern edge of the East China Sea and the western edge of the Pacific Ocean.
The Islands are separated into two geographical regions: the Northern Ryūkyū Islands, centered on Amami Island, and the Southern Ryūkyū Islands, centered on Okinawa Island. Sometimes the Southern Ryūkyū Islands are further divided into the Okinawa Islands and the Sakishima Islands.
The largest of the islands is Okinawa Island.[8]
Culture
Karate was invented by the local people (mainly from Okinawa). The Japanese phrase "Karate-do" means "way of the empty hand").
