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''Ryûkyû-gakari'' were a pair of officials who oversaw the residents and operations of the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], an institution in [[Kagoshima]] which might be described as resembling in its functions, in some respects, an "embassy" or "consulate" of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. The pair was comprised of the ''zaiban ueekata'' (在番親方), the chief Ryukyuan official (and representative of the King of Ryûkyû) resident at the Ryûkyû-kan, and the ''Ryûkyû-kikiyaku'' (琉球聞役, lit. "Ryûkyû listener"), a samurai official charged with overseeing the Ryûkyû-kan on behalf of the daimyô.
''Ryûkyû-gakari'' were a pair of officials who oversaw the residents and operations of the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], an institution in [[Kagoshima]] which might be described as resembling in its functions, in some respects, an "embassy" or "consulate" of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. The pair was comprised of the ''zaiban ueekata'' (在番親方), the chief Ryukyuan official (and representative of the King of Ryûkyû) resident at the Ryûkyû-kan, and the ''Ryûkyû-kikiyaku'' (琉球聞役, lit. "Ryûkyû listener"), a samurai official charged with overseeing the Ryûkyû-kan on behalf of the daimyô.
The ''Ryûkyû-kan kikiyaku'' was originally known as the ''kariya-no-kami'' ("head of the temporary residence").<ref>Yano Misako 矢野美沙子, "Shiryôhen kaidai shiryô honkoku: Edo dachi ni tsuki oose watashi dome" 「史料編解題・史料翻刻「江戸立二付仰渡留」」, in Kamiya Nobuyuki 紙屋敦之 (ed.), ''Kinsei Nihon ni okeru gaikoku shisetsu to shakai hen'yô 3: taikun gaikô kaitai wo ou'' 『近世日本における外国使節と社会変容（３）－大君外交解体を追う－』, Tokyo: Waseda University (2009), 5.</ref>
The ''Ryûkyû-gakari'' communicated edicts and other messages from Satsuma to [[zaiban bugyo|Satsuma magistrates]] resident in Ryûkyû via the ''[[sanshikan]]'' (the Council of Three; the top advisors to the King of Ryûkyû). The ''zaiban ueekata'' changed every year, as the lead New Year's envoy (''[[nentoshi|nentôshi]]'') took on that position each New Year's.<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/okinawa-dic/prentry-42540.html Nentôshi]," ''Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia'', Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.</ref>
The ''Ryûkyû-gakari'' communicated edicts and other messages from Satsuma to [[zaiban bugyo|Satsuma magistrates]] resident in Ryûkyû via the ''[[sanshikan]]'' (the Council of Three; the top advisors to the King of Ryûkyû). The ''zaiban ueekata'' changed every year, as the lead New Year's envoy (''[[nentoshi|nentôshi]]'') took on that position each New Year's.<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/okinawa-dic/prentry-42540.html Nentôshi]," ''Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia'', Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.</ref>