Sunao Kawachi

Japanese: 直川智 (Sunao Kawachi)

Sunao Kawachi was an individual from Amami Ôshima credited with introducing Ming dynasty sugar cultivation and processing techniques into Amami in 1610.

While traveling from Amami to Okinawa Island, Sunao's ship encountered a typhoon and he became shipwrecked or castaway in Fujian province, in southern mainland China. There, he learned about the cultivation of sugar cane, and techniques for processing it into sugar. Eventually returning to his hometown of Yamato-hama on Amami Ôshima, he introduced those techniques and is credited with initiating the sugar industry on Amami.

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References

Gallery labels, Amami Tatsugô Shima Museum.[1]
"Sunao Kawachi," Nihon jinmei daijiten, Kodansha.