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==Kagoshima==

==Kagoshima==

The Ryûkyû-kan in Kagoshima was located below the castle, directly between the family mansions of the [[Tanegashima clan]] to the west, and of the [[Hongo clan|Hongô]] (Miyakonojô Shimazu) clan to the east. It covered an area of roughly 3500 ''[[Japanese Measurements|tsubo]]''. The site is occupied today by Nagata Middle School.

The Ryûkyû-kan in Kagoshima was located below the castle, directly between the family mansions of the [[Tanegashima clan]] to the west, and of the [[Hongo clan|Hongô]] (Miyakonojô Shimazu) clan to the east. It covered an area of roughly 3500 ''[[Japanese Measurements|tsubo]]'', and was originally known as the ''Ryûkyû-kariya'' (琉球仮屋, Ryûkyû temporary residence), but was renamed the Ryûkyû-kan in the late 18th century.<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 35n19.</ref> The site is occupied today by Nagata Middle School.

The Ryûkyû-kan played a central role in relations between the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] and the ''[[han]]'' to which it was a vassal, serving a function not unlike a modern-day embassy. Visiting dignitaries lived and worked in the ''Ryûkyû-kan'' for various lengths of time, as did students studying classic subjects in preparation for careers in the kingdom's bureaucracy, and a number of Ryukyuan permanent residents of the city. The chief Ryukyuan official permanently resident at the Ryûkyû-kan, typically of ''[[ueekata]]'' (J: ''oyakata'') rank, was known as the ''zaiban oyakata'' ("resident elder"); he and a samurai official known as the ''Ryûkyû-kikiyaku'' (lit. "listener"), were collectively known as the ''[[Ryukyu-gakari|Ryûkyû-gakari]]'', and were charged with overseeing the residents and operations of the Ryûkyû-kan, as well as performing various administrative duties related to communicating [[Satsuma han]] missives and edicts to Ryûkyû.

The Ryûkyû-kan played a central role in relations between the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] and the ''[[han]]'' to which it was a vassal, serving a function not unlike a modern-day embassy. Visiting dignitaries lived and worked in the ''Ryûkyû-kan'' for various lengths of time, as did students studying classic subjects in preparation for careers in the kingdom's bureaucracy, and a number of Ryukyuan permanent residents of the city. The chief Ryukyuan official permanently resident at the Ryûkyû-kan, typically of ''[[ueekata]]'' (J: ''oyakata'') rank, was known as the ''zaiban oyakata'' ("resident elder"); he and a samurai official known as the ''Ryûkyû-kikiyaku'' (lit. "listener"), were collectively known as the ''[[Ryukyu-gakari|Ryûkyû-gakari]]'', and were charged with overseeing the residents and operations of the Ryûkyû-kan, as well as performing various administrative duties related to communicating [[Satsuma han]] missives and edicts to Ryûkyû.