Changes

Following the outbreak of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]], Ryukyuan tribute missions to the shogunate gradually disappeared, and [[Sakai]] merchants jumped to fill in the gap, sending their own ships to Ryûkyû. Losing profits, and control over the trade, in [[1471]], the shogunate sent an order to the Shimazu indicating that from henceforward, merchants traveling to Ryûkyû would be required to hold shogunate-issued licenses. The export of copper coins was especially singled-out as prohibited. The Shimazu were then allowed to be the ones to notify the island kingdom of these new policies; that Ryûkyû then got the impression that it was the Shimazu - and not the shogunate - which issued licenses, and which held monopolistic control over the Japan-Ryûkyû trade, is indicated by a [[1559]] letter from a [[Naha]] official to a Shimazu retainer noting that only merchants with Shimazu permits were permitted to trade at Naha.<ref name=tanaka/>

Following the outbreak of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]], Ryukyuan tribute missions to the shogunate gradually disappeared, and [[Sakai]] merchants jumped to fill in the gap, sending their own ships to Ryûkyû. Losing profits, and control over the trade, in [[1471]], the shogunate sent an order to the Shimazu indicating that from henceforward, merchants traveling to Ryûkyû would be required to hold shogunate-issued licenses. The export of copper coins was especially singled-out as prohibited. The Shimazu were then allowed to be the ones to notify the island kingdom of these new policies; that Ryûkyû then got the impression that it was the Shimazu - and not the shogunate - which issued licenses, and which held monopolistic control over the Japan-Ryûkyû trade, is indicated by a [[1559]] letter from a [[Naha]] official to a Shimazu retainer noting that only merchants with Shimazu permits were permitted to trade at Naha.<ref name=tanaka/>

The Kingdom of Ryûkyû, based on Okinawa Island, received ships from the other islands at the port of [[Tomari]], where warehouses stood for storing tribute goods from those islands. The ''[[Tomari satonushi]]'', the chief port official, oversaw in particular the reception of tribute payments and missions from the Amami Islands. Tribute from these outlying islands was sent in a variety of forms; for example, the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands, which had originally begun sending tribute in [[1390]], were permitted to send part of their tribute in the form of ''jôfu'' textiles beginning in [[1659]].

The Kingdom of Ryûkyû, based on Okinawa Island, received ships from the other islands at the port of [[Tomari]], where warehouses stood for storing tribute goods from those islands. The ''[[Tomari satonushi]]'', the chief port official, oversaw in particular the reception of tribute payments and missions from the Amami Islands. Tribute from these outlying islands was sent in a variety of forms; for example, the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands, which had originally begun sending tribute in [[1390]], were permitted to send part of their tribute in the form of ''jôfu'' textiles beginning in [[1659]]. From [[1758]] onwards, the Yaeyama Islands were asked to send sea cucumbers, as well, as tribute goods, supplementing the marine products that the kingdom could send as tribute items, in turn, to China, in exchange for bullion and other valuable products. [[Meiwa tsunami|A tsunami]] devastated the area in [[1771]], killing an estimated 10,000 people in the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands; it took decades for these island communities - in terms of population, economy, etc. - to recover.<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 96-97.</ref>

Of course, exacting tribute from the outlying islands did not always go smoothly; there were, at times, revolts and rebellions, such as that of [[Oyake Akahachi]] on [[Ishigaki Island]] in [[1500]], though most of these rebellions were eventually suppressed by royal kingdom forces from Okinawa Island, or those from other islands loyal to the center and acting in its service.

Of course, exacting tribute from the outlying islands did not always go smoothly; there were, at times, revolts and rebellions, such as that of [[Oyake Akahachi]] on [[Ishigaki Island]] in [[1500]], though most of these rebellions were eventually suppressed by royal kingdom forces from Okinawa Island, or those from other islands loyal to the center and acting in its service.