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The ''hachimaki'' is a type of court cap worn especially by officials in the [[Government of the Ryukyu Kingdom|government of the Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. Under a system established in [[1524]] under King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]], the color of the ''hachimaki'' indicated (in part) the [[Ryukyuan court ranks|court rank]] of the wearer.<ref>''Earth Exhibit of Ryukyu Kingdom''. Ryûfûan Hawaii. 2010. p12.</ref>

The ''hachimaki'' is a type of court cap worn especially by officials in the [[Government of the Ryukyu Kingdom|government of the Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. Under a system established in [[1524]] under King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]], the color of the ''hachimaki'' indicated (in part) the [[Ryukyuan court ranks|court rank]] of the wearer.<ref>''Earth Exhibit of Ryukyu Kingdom''. Ryûfûan Hawaii. 2010. p12.</ref>

The highest ranking members of the Ryukyuan aristocracy<ref>The ''ôji'' (Princes), ''[[anji]]'', and Upper First Rank of ''[[ueekata]]''.</ref> wore a different type of court cap; those in the ranks immediately below them<ref>The Lower First, and Upper & Lower Second Ranks</ref> wore purple ''hachimaki'', and the lowest ranking nobles<ref>The Eighth and Ninth Ranks</ref> wore red ''hachimaki'', while everyone in the middle<ref>The Third to Seventh Ranks</ref> wore yellow caps. Since the yellow caps were thus by far the most common, all such court caps were sometimes referred to as ''chiiru hachimachi'', or "yellow ''hachimaki''."

The highest ranking members of the Ryukyuan aristocracy<ref>The ''ôji'' (Princes), ''[[anji]]'', and Upper First Rank of ''[[ueekata]]''.</ref> wore a different type of court cap; those in the ranks immediately below them<ref>The Lower First, and Upper & Lower Second Ranks</ref> wore purple ''hachimaki'', and the lowest ranking nobles<ref>The Eighth and Ninth Ranks</ref> wore red ''hachimaki'', while everyone in the middle<ref>The Third to Seventh Ranks</ref> wore yellow caps. Since the yellow caps were thus by far the most common, all such court caps were sometimes referred to as ''chiiru hachimachi'', or "yellow ''hachimaki''."

The ''hachimaki'' was made from roughly thirteen feet of fabric, wrapped around an oval-shaped rigid board to form eight layers of wrapping, and secured to the head, worn over the topknot, with several ties and a pair of hairpins.

The ''hachimaki'' was made from roughly thirteen feet of fabric, wrapped around an oval-shaped rigid board to form eight layers of wrapping, and secured to the head, worn over the topknot, with several ties and a pair of hairpins.

Those not yet old enough to have official court rank - and who thus could not wear a court cap indicating their rank - simply wore large hairpins stuck through their topknot, their status indicated by the material the hairpin was made of, and the ornaments on it. The crown prince and others of similarly high status would wear a golden hairpin called a ''jifaa'', decorated with dragons and flowers, while the young sons or brothers of ''anji'' or other mid-to-high-ranking noble families would wear silver hairpins. Those associated with lower-ranking nobles wore copper hairpins. The narcissus flower in particular was a popular design for such hairpins.

Those not yet old enough to have official court rank - and who thus could not wear a court cap indicating their rank - simply wore large hairpins stuck through their topknot, their status indicated by the material the hairpin was made of, and the ornaments on it. The crown prince and others of similarly high status would wear a golden hairpin called a ''jifaa'', decorated with dragons and flowers, while the young sons or brothers of ''anji'' or other mid-to-high-ranking noble families would wear silver hairpins. Those associated with lower-ranking nobles wore copper hairpins. The narcissus flower in particular was a popular design for such hairpins. A system of rank as indicated by hairpins was also introduced by Shô Shin around the same time as the ''hachimaki'' ranking system, in the early 16th century, but did not settle into the gold, silver, brass system more standard in later periods until the 17th century.<ref name=okpref/>

 

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