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==In Ryûkyû==
==In Ryûkyû==
In the 1620s, a pair of young Ryukyuan aristocrats introduced to the kingdom advanced sugar processing techniques which they had studied in China; sugar plantations in the islands quickly began to take off, and Ryukyuan sugar, imported via Satsuma, became a major source of the product. The kingdom began in [[1666]] to pay one-third of its annual tribute payments to Satsuma in sugar. Sugar was not only grown in the Ryûkyûs, but was also obtained by Ryukyuan trading ships in Southeast Asia.
In [[1623]], a pair of young Ryukyuan aristocrats sent to China by [[Gima Shinjo|Gima Shinjô]] introduced to the kingdom advanced sugar processing techniques; sugar plantations in the islands quickly began to take off, and Ryukyuan sugar, imported via Satsuma, became a major source of the product. The kingdom began in [[1666]] to pay one-third of its annual tribute payments to Satsuma in sugar. Sugar was not only grown in the Ryûkyûs, but was also obtained by Ryukyuan trading ships in Southeast Asia. The cane was processed using a ''sata-guruma'', a large grinding device pulled by a horse or water buffalo; the resulting cane juice was then boiled to produce brown sugar (''kurozato'', ''kokutô''). The original mechanism introduced in the 1620s used two rollers; three rollers came to be used in [[1671]]. The wooden sugar mills were replaced with stone ones beginning in [[1831]], and iron ones from [[1882]]. The first Western-style sugar factory equipment was installed in Okinawa in [[1908]], but traditional mills remained in use well into the post-war period.<ref>Explanatory plaque, ''Sata-guruma'', Okinawa Furusato Mura, at Okinawa Expo Park.</ref>
The Ryûkyû Kingdom's government claimed a royal monopoly on sales of sugar and [[turmeric]] (''ukon'') within the kingdom in [[1647]], helping the kingdom afford its repayments on loans from [[Satsuma han]]. Fifty years later, the kingdom placed restrictions on the planting of these two crops; these restrictions wouldn't be lifted until [[1888]].
The Ryûkyû Kingdom's government claimed a royal monopoly on sales of sugar and [[turmeric]] (''ukon'') within the kingdom in [[1647]], helping the kingdom afford its repayments on loans from [[Satsuma han]]. Fifty years later, the kingdom placed restrictions on the planting of these two crops; these restrictions wouldn't be lifted until [[1888]].