Changes

The Amami Islands are a string of islands, [[Amami Oshima|Amami Ôshima]] the largest of them, strung between [[Kyushu]] and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. Geographically considered part of the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]], and associated with the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] until [[Invasion of Ryukyu|1609]], the islands were at that time annexed by [[Satsuma han]], and remain a part of [[Kagoshima prefecture]] (not [[Okinawa prefecture]]) today. The islands maintain a distinctive culture, with strong similarities to Okinawan culture, but marked differences as well (see [[Amami music]]).

The Amami Islands are a string of islands, [[Amami Oshima|Amami Ôshima]] the largest of them, strung between [[Kyushu]] and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. Geographically considered part of the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]], and associated with the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] until [[Invasion of Ryukyu|1609]], the islands were at that time annexed by [[Satsuma han]], and remain a part of [[Kagoshima prefecture]] (not [[Okinawa prefecture]]) today. The islands maintain a distinctive culture, with strong similarities to Okinawan culture, but marked differences as well (see [[Amami music]]).

==History==

==History==

Amami Ôshima is said to have sent [[tribute]] to the [[Yamato state]] (i.e. Japan) as early as the year [[699]]. This can be presumed to have tapered off by the 11th or 12th century, if not earlier. Amami sent tribute however, to the Kingdom of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and later the Ryûkyû Kingdom (on Okinawa Island) from [[1266]] through the end of the 16th century; as with tribute received from the more southerly islands (the [[Yaeyama Islands|Yaeyamas]] and [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]]), tribute from Amami was received and stored at the port of [[Tomari]], just outside [[Naha]]. The Ryûkyû Kingdom did not, however, possess any true control over the Amami Islands at that time, and as late as the 16th century was engaged in military efforts to conquer these islands; as Ryûkyû moved north, and the [[Shimazu clan]] samurai of [[Satsuma province|Satsuma]] moved south, both seeking to extend their control into the Amamis, Ryûkyû and Satsuma clashed on a number of occasions. One such clash took place in [[1493]]; Amami Ôshima formally submitted to Ryûkyû's authority in [[1571]]. That same year, the Shimazu attacked the island as part of efforts to seize control over all of Ryûkyû.

Amami Ôshima is said to have sent [[tribute]] to the [[Yamato state]] (i.e. Japan) as early as the year [[699]]. This can be presumed to have tapered off by the 11th or 12th century, if not earlier. Amami sent tribute however, to the Kingdom of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and later the Ryûkyû Kingdom (on Okinawa Island) from [[1266]] through the end of the 16th century; as with tribute received from the more southerly islands (the [[Yaeyama Islands|Yaeyamas]] and [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]]), tribute from Amami was received and stored at the port of [[Tomari]], just outside [[Naha]]. The Ryûkyû Kingdom did not, however, possess any true control over the Amami Islands at that time, and as late as the 16th century was engaged in military efforts to conquer these islands; as Ryûkyû moved north, and the [[Shimazu clan]] samurai of [[Satsuma province|Satsuma]] moved south, both seeking to extend their control into the Amamis, Ryûkyû and Satsuma clashed on a number of occasions. One such clash took place in [[1493]]; Amami Ôshima formally submitted to Ryûkyû's authority in [[1571]]. That same year, the Shimazu attacked the island as part of efforts to seize control over all of Ryûkyû.

Satsuma succeeded in conquering the Amamis and Okinawa in [[1609]]. Following its defeat, the Ryûkyû Kingdom was permitted to remain intact and quasi-independent. Okinawa and all the [[Sakishima Islands|islands to the south]] remained under the control of the kingdom, which paid taxes to Satsuma and was in certain other respects subordinated to Satsuma's control. The Amamis, meanwhile, were wholly incorporated into Satsuma's territory. Satsuma undertook land surveys in [[1621]], assessing the agricultural productivity of the land in order to calculate taxation rates. The main agricultural products on the islands traditionally included rice, [[Satsumaimo]] (sweet potato), sugar cane, papaya, banana, and pineapple. ''[[Sotetsu]]'' (cycad) also grows naturally on the island. The Amamis are also known for their textiles, including especially Amami ''[[tsumugi]]'' (pongee). This ''tsumugi'', along with sugar, were the chief goods claimed by Satsuma in taxes.

Satsuma succeeded in conquering the Amamis and Okinawa in 1609. Following its defeat, the Ryûkyû Kingdom was permitted to remain intact and quasi-independent. Okinawa and all the [[Sakishima Islands|islands to the south]] remained under the control of the kingdom, which paid taxes to Satsuma and was in certain other respects subordinated to Satsuma's control. The Amamis, meanwhile, were wholly incorporated into Satsuma's territory. Satsuma undertook land surveys in [[1621]], assessing the agricultural productivity of the land in order to calculate taxation rates. The main agricultural products on the islands traditionally included rice, [[Satsumaimo]] (sweet potato), [[sugar]] cane, papaya, banana, and pineapple. ''[[Sotetsu]]'' (cycad) also grows naturally on the island. The Amamis are also known for their textiles, including especially Amami ''[[tsumugi]]'' (pongee). This ''tsumugi'', along with sugar, were the chief goods claimed by Satsuma in taxes.

A samurai official known as a ''[[daikan]]'' served as the chief Satsuma official on Amami Ôshima, though the local elites or official structure were permitted to remain intact to some extent. These local Amami officials were banned from interacting with officials of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, beginning in [[1623]].

Over the course of the period, Satsuma emphasized the production of sugar on the islands, enacting various policies aimed at increasing the amount of sugar, a very lucrative product, it could extract from Amami. Islanders were required from [[1745]] onwards to pay their taxes in sugar instead of rice, a policy which effectively forced many, if not most, islanders to switch at least some of their time, effort, and land from growing rice and other food to subsist on, to growing and refining sugar cane. This resulted in severe difficulties for many families, who struggled at times to have enough to eat; in [[1755]], 3,000 people died of famine on Tokunoshima. Later, beginning in [[1787]], Satsuma put into place a system in which islanders could trade sugar for rice and other goods they needed. Though production was done entirely by islanders, who were not deprived of their land nor entered into slavery or indentured servitude, the extent of Satsuma's focus in these islands on maximizing outputs of a single product has led some historians to describe the system as "a structure of colonial extraction," drawing comparisons to British and American sugar plantation operations in the Caribbean and [[Japanese immigration to Hawaii|Hawaii]] respectively.<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 95-96.</ref>

However, Ryûkyû or local Amami elites were seen as still possessing some residual rights or sovereignty, and as late as the 1870s, there were steps taken to have the Ryukyuan royal family officially relinquish all claims to the islands.

A samurai official known as a ''[[daikan]]'' served as the chief Satsuma official on Amami Ôshima, though the local elites or official structure were permitted to remain intact to some extent. These local Amami officials were banned from interacting with officials of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, beginning in [[1623]]. However, Ryûkyû or local Amami elites were seen as still possessing some residual rights or sovereignty throughout the period, and as late as the 1870s, there were steps taken to have the Ryukyuan royal family officially relinquish all claims to the islands.

{{stub}}

{{stub}}

==References==

==References==

*Explanatory plaques on-site at [[Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum]].

*Explanatory plaques on-site at [[Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum]].

[[Category:Ryukyu]]

[[Category:Ryukyu]]

[[Category:Geographic Locations]]

[[Category:Geographic Locations]]