Changes

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 那覇 ''(Naha / Naafa)''

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 那覇 ''(Naha / Naafa)''

Naha was the chief port city in the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]], and the center of much mercantile and diplomatic activity; the city also contained within it the community of [[Kumemura]], from which the scholar-bureaucrat class was drawn. Today, having absorbed the former royal capital of [[Shuri]] and a number of other municipalities into its borders, Naha is the capital of [[Okinawa prefecture]].

Naha was the chief port city in the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]], and the center of much mercantile and diplomatic activity. Historically consisting of the four districts of Higashi, Nishi, Izumisaki, and Wakasa, the city also (geographically, but not administratively) contained within it the community of [[Kumemura]]. Today, having absorbed the former royal capital of [[Shuri]] and a number of other municipalities into its borders, Naha is the capital of [[Okinawa prefecture]].

==History & Geography==

==History==

It is not fully known at what time Naha emerged as a settlement and a port, but it is presumed to have formed as a matter of course in the late 14th century when Chinese and Japanese ships (among others) found the site a convenient waystation.<ref>Uezato. p73.</ref> The port was already burgeoning by the 1420s, when [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]] united [[Okinawa Island]], founding the Kingdom of Ryûkyû and establishing the [[Sho dynasty|first Shô dynasty]].<ref>Uezato. p57.</ref> In the previous century, increased piracy activity around Korea, along with revolts by [[Fang Guozhen]]<!--方國珍--> and [[Zhang Shicheng]]<!--張士誠-->, caused Japanese merchants to take a different route to China, passing through the Ryukyus and making their way to [[Fuzhou]], rather than traveling to [[Ningpo]] via [[Hakata]], a more direct route.<ref>Uezato. p58.</ref>

It is not fully known at what time Naha emerged as a settlement and a port, but it is presumed to have formed as a matter of course in the late 14th century when Chinese and Japanese ships (among others) found the site a convenient waystation.<ref>Uezato. p73.</ref> The port was already burgeoning by the 1420s, when [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]] united [[Okinawa Island]], founding the Kingdom of Ryûkyû and establishing the [[Sho dynasty|first Shô dynasty]].<ref>Uezato. p57.</ref> In the previous century, increased piracy activity around Korea, along with revolts by [[Fang Guozhen]]<!--方國珍--> and [[Zhang Shicheng]]<!--張士誠-->, caused Japanese merchants to take a different route to China, passing through the Ryukyus and making their way to [[Fuzhou]], rather than traveling to [[Ningpo]] via [[Hakata]], a more direct route.<ref>Uezato. p58.</ref>

Trade declined dramatically in the 17th century, due to heavy restrictions imposed by Satsuma, the imposition of maritime restrictions (''[[kaikin]]'') in Japan (which brought a severe decline in Japanese maritime activity), and a variety of factors concerning trade relations with Southeast Asia. But Naha remained the chief port city, and along with Shuri, the chief economic, cultural, and political center in the Ryukyus, from that time through today. Major efforts to dredge the harbor and revitalize the port were undertaken in [[1717]]. It is said 70,000 men were involved in the effort, and a stone still stands today in honor and memory of the event.<ref>Hokama Masaaki 外間政明。”''Nahakō no seiritsu to sono kinō iji''” 那覇港の成立とその機能維持。''Shimatati'' しまたてぃ 13. Okinawa Shimatate Kyōkai 沖縄しまたて協会。July 2000. pp5-7.</ref>

Trade declined dramatically in the 17th century, due to heavy restrictions imposed by Satsuma, the imposition of maritime restrictions (''[[kaikin]]'') in Japan (which brought a severe decline in Japanese maritime activity), and a variety of factors concerning trade relations with Southeast Asia. But Naha remained the chief port city, and along with Shuri, the chief economic, cultural, and political center in the Ryukyus, from that time through today. Major efforts to dredge the harbor and revitalize the port were undertaken in [[1717]]. It is said 70,000 men were involved in the effort, and a stone still stands today in honor and memory of the event.<ref>Hokama Masaaki 外間政明。”''Nahakō no seiritsu to sono kinō iji''” 那覇港の成立とその機能維持。''Shimatati'' しまたてぃ 13. Okinawa Shimatate Kyōkai 沖縄しまたて協会。July 2000. pp5-7.</ref>

Following the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s and its annexation as Okinawa prefecture, Naha absorbed Shuri and became the prefectural capital. The city suffered considerably in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, but was rebuilt during the American Occupation, its port facilities not only restored, but modernized as well.

Following the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s and its annexation as Okinawa prefecture, Naha absorbed Shuri and became the prefectural capital. The city suffered considerably in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, but was rebuilt during the American Occupation, its port facilities not only restored, but modernized as well.

==Geography==

==Geography==

Throughout most of the time of the Kingdom, Naha consisted of six neighborhoods or districts, all but two of them located on a small island called Ukishima, which sat in the harbor, surrounded on three sides by the Asato, Kokuba, and Kumoji Rivers, which separated it from the "mainland" of Okinawa Island by a short span. Kumemura was located in the southern part of this island, closest to the "mainland," facing the neighborhood of Izumisaki across the harbor, while the neighborhoods of Higashi and Nishi were located to the west. Wakasamachi, occupied the northern or northeastern section of the island, and finally, the port of [[Tomari]] was located just across the way, to the east of Ukishima, on the Okinawan "mainland." The [[Chokotei|Chôkôtei]], a narrow, kilometer-long earthen embankment built in [[1452]], connected Tomari and Ukishima.<ref>Uezato. p61.</ref>

Throughout most of the time of the Kingdom, Naha consisted of six neighborhoods or districts, all but two of them located on a small island called Ukishima, which sat in the harbor, surrounded on three sides by the Asato, Kokuba, and Kumoji Rivers, which separated it from the "mainland" of Okinawa Island by a short span. Kumemura was located in the southern part of this island, closest to the "mainland," facing the neighborhood of Izumisaki across the harbor, while the neighborhoods of Higashi and Nishi were located to the west. Wakasamachi, occupied the northern or northeastern section of the island, and finally, the port of Tomari was located just across the way, to the east of Ukishima, on the Okinawan "mainland." The [[Chokotei|Chôkôtei]], a narrow, kilometer-long earthen embankment built in [[1452]], connected Tomari and Ukishima.<ref>Uezato. p61.</ref>

The body of water separating Ukishima from the Okinawan "mainland" was at some point filled in, uniting the city more fully into a single section of land.

The body of water separating Ukishima from the Okinawan "mainland" was at some point filled in, uniting the city more fully into a single section of land.