Changes

The Satsuma ''zaiban bugyô'' (resident magistrate) stationed in the main Okinawan port city of [[Naha]] was officially described in Satsuma documents as a ''[[metsuke]]'' (inspector). He and his staff of roughly 100 men from Satsuma oversaw activities in Ryûkyû, conveying orders and other messages from the daimyô, and reporting back whether the kingdom was behaving in accord with Satsuma's interests and edicts. He and his staff were explicitly required to limit their interactions with Ryukyuans as much as possible, and politically or administratively had only minimal influence on Ryûkyû's domestic affairs; it was chiefly in the fields of foreign relations, enforcing the ban on [[Christianity in Ryukyu|Christianity]], and matters of crime and punishment, that the ''zaiban bugyô'' exercised any significant degree of power or influence, and then, of course, only in accord with his orders from Satsuma.

The Satsuma ''zaiban bugyô'' (resident magistrate) stationed in the main Okinawan port city of [[Naha]] was officially described in Satsuma documents as a ''[[metsuke]]'' (inspector). He and his staff of roughly 100 men from Satsuma oversaw activities in Ryûkyû, conveying orders and other messages from the daimyô, and reporting back whether the kingdom was behaving in accord with Satsuma's interests and edicts. He and his staff were explicitly required to limit their interactions with Ryukyuans as much as possible, and politically or administratively had only minimal influence on Ryûkyû's domestic affairs; it was chiefly in the fields of foreign relations, enforcing the ban on [[Christianity in Ryukyu|Christianity]], and matters of crime and punishment, that the ''zaiban bugyô'' exercised any significant degree of power or influence, and then, of course, only in accord with his orders from Satsuma.

The position was created in [[1631]], with [[Kawakami Matazaemon]] serving as the first ''zaiban bugyô''.<ref>''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'' 琉球使節、江戸へ行く！, Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 47.</ref>

The position was created in [[1631]], with [[Kawakami Matazaemon]] serving as the first ''zaiban bugyô''.<ref>''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'' 琉球使節、江戸へ行く！, Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 47.</ref> His successors typically held the position for terms of just two years, before returning to Kagoshima and being replaced by a new ''zaiban bugyô''.<ref name=liao>Liao Zhenpei 廖真珮, "Ryûkyû kyûtei ni okeru Chûgoku kei ongaku no ensô to denshô" 琉球宮廷における中国系音楽の演奏と伝承, in ''Uzagaku no fukugen ni mukete'' 御座楽の復元に向けて, Naha, Okinawa: Uzagaku fukugen ensô kenkyûkai 御座楽復元演奏研究会 (2007), 100.</ref>

The staff of the ''zaiban bugyôsho'' (resident magistrate's office), numbering roughly 100 men altogether, included four ''[[yoriki]]'' (low-ranking samurai), several ''tsuke-yakunin'' (attachés), and a number of ''[[yokome]]'' (censors); some of these ''yokome'' were assigned to outlying islands, to keep an eye on goings-on there, on behalf of the ''zaiban bugyô''. Most of these men served only for periods of three years, before returning to Satsuma and being replaced by a new batch of officials. They were lodged in a series of residences called the ''zaiban kariya'' or ''ôkariya'' (O: ''ufukaiya'') located along the same street along with the office, in the Nishi district of Naha, on the western edge of Ukishima. Two Ryukyuan officials known as the ''okariya-no-kami'' (O: ''ukaiya mui'') and ''okariya-no-kami bettô'' (O: ''ukaiya mui bettô'') also aided in the administration of the office.<ref>''Naha shizoku no isshô'' 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010), 14.</ref> From the late 18th century onward, an additional official, called the ''tôbutsuhô'', oversaw the import of Chinese goods into Ryûkyû, and in particular their sale to Satsuma.<ref>Tomiyama Kazuyuki, “Ryukyu Kingdom Diplomacy with Japan and the Ming and Qing Dynasties,” Ishihara Masahide et al (eds.), ''Self-determinable Development of Small Islands'', Singapore: Springer Publishing (2016), 58.</ref>

The staff of the ''zaiban bugyôsho'' (resident magistrate's office), numbering roughly 100 men altogether, included four ''[[yoriki]]'' (low-ranking samurai), several ''tsuke-yakunin'' (attachés), and a number of ''[[yokome]]'' (censors); some of these ''yokome'' were assigned to outlying islands, to keep an eye on goings-on there, on behalf of the ''zaiban bugyô''. Most of these men served only for periods of three years, before returning to Satsuma and being replaced by a new batch of officials. They were lodged in a series of residences called the ''zaiban kariya'' or ''ôkariya'' (O: ''ufukaiya'') located along the same street along with the office, in the Nishi district of Naha, on the western edge of Ukishima. Two Ryukyuan officials known as the ''okariya-no-kami'' (O: ''ukaiya mui'') and ''okariya-no-kami bettô'' (O: ''ukaiya mui bettô'') also aided in the administration of the office.<ref>''Naha shizoku no isshô'' 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010), 14.</ref> From the late 18th century onward, an additional official, called the ''tôbutsuhô'', oversaw the import of Chinese goods into Ryûkyû, and in particular their sale to Satsuma.<ref>Tomiyama Kazuyuki, “Ryukyu Kingdom Diplomacy with Japan and the Ming and Qing Dynasties,” Ishihara Masahide et al (eds.), ''Self-determinable Development of Small Islands'', Singapore: Springer Publishing (2016), 58.</ref>

The annual [[Naha Tug-of-War]] competition between the four towns of Naha (Nishi, Higashi, Wakasa, Izumisaki) was traditionally held along this street.<ref name=plaque>Plaque on-site at the former site of the ''zaiban bugyôsho''.</ref> Satsuma also maintained an office called the ''[[uchakuya]]'', located just outside of [[Shuri castle]], and used by the ''zaiban bugyô'' and his men to prepare for visits to the castle.<ref>Plaques on-site at the former site of the [[Uchakuya]].</ref>

The annual [[Naha Tug-of-War]] competition between the four towns of Naha (Nishi, Higashi, Wakasa, Izumisaki) was traditionally held along this street.<ref name=plaque>Plaque on-site at the former site of the ''zaiban bugyôsho''.</ref> Satsuma also maintained an office called the ''[[uchakuya]]'', located just outside of [[Shuri castle]], and used by the ''zaiban bugyô'' and his men to prepare for visits to the castle.<ref>Plaques on-site at the former site of the [[Uchakuya]].</ref>

As Satsuma's representative in Ryûkyû, the ''zaiban bugyô'' was forbidden from borrowing things or money from the Ryukyuan government treasury, or otherwise asking favors of the king; when members of the ''[[sanshikan]]'' or other high-ranking Ryukyuan officials came to his office on business, they were to be received by the ''zaiban bugyô'' himself, and not by members of his staff. As for the ''zaiban bugyô'' paying visits to government officials, or to the king, these were limited to New Year's greetings, official reports of the arrival or departure of the ''zaiban bugyô'' to/from his post, and certain other official circumstances; he was explicitly instructed not to overstay his welcome or to accept entertainments.

As Satsuma's representative in Ryûkyû, the ''zaiban bugyô'' was forbidden from borrowing things or money from the Ryukyuan government treasury, or otherwise asking favors of the king; when members of the ''[[sanshikan]]'' or other high-ranking Ryukyuan officials came to his office on business, they were to be received by the ''zaiban bugyô'' himself, and not by members of his staff. As for the ''zaiban bugyô'' paying visits to government officials, or to the king, these were limited to New Year's greetings, official reports of the arrival or departure of the ''zaiban bugyô'' to/from his post, and certain other official circumstances; he was explicitly instructed not to overstay his welcome or to accept entertainments. Still, a ''zaiban bugyô'' typically enjoyed a reception at [[Uchaya udun]] (the court's "eastern garden" detached palace) once during his term. Such receptions included lavish banquets and performances of music and dance.<ref name=liao/>

While the ''zaiban bugyô'' post and associated office were necessary for Satsuma to maintain some degree of awareness of, and influence upon, goings-on in the islands, it was at the same time to Satsuma's great advantage that it limit as much as possible its visible presence in, or influence upon, the islands. Throughout the Edo period, Satsuma made great efforts to perpetuate the fiction that the Ryûkyû Kingdom remained fully independent; Ryûkyû was useful to Satsuma primarily as a source of access to Chinese goods and information (intelligence) about conditions and events in China, and since the [[Ming Dynasty]] had severed all official Sino-Japanese relations, Ryûkyû's own relations with China could only continue so long as it was not a part of Japan. Or so the standard explanation of the logics of this triangular relationship goes.

While the ''zaiban bugyô'' post and associated office were necessary for Satsuma to maintain some degree of awareness of, and influence upon, goings-on in the islands, it was at the same time to Satsuma's great advantage that it limit as much as possible its visible presence in, or influence upon, the islands. Throughout the Edo period, Satsuma made great efforts to perpetuate the fiction that the Ryûkyû Kingdom remained fully independent; Ryûkyû was useful to Satsuma primarily as a source of access to Chinese goods and information (intelligence) about conditions and events in China, and since the [[Ming Dynasty]] had severed all official Sino-Japanese relations, Ryûkyû's own relations with China could only continue so long as it was not a part of Japan. Or so the standard explanation of the logics of this triangular relationship goes.

*[[Kawaminami Jiroemon|Kawaminami Jirôemon]] - served early 1800s?<ref name=shizoku>''Naha shizoku no isshô'' 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010).</ref>

*[[Kawaminami Jiroemon|Kawaminami Jirôemon]] - served early 1800s?<ref name=shizoku>''Naha shizoku no isshô'' 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010).</ref>

*[[Tanigawa Jirôbee]] - served c. mid-1850s<ref name=shizoku/>

*[[Tanigawa Jirôbee]] - served c. mid-1850s<ref name=shizoku/>

*[[Ichiki Jijuro|Ichiki Jijûrô]] - served c. [[1859]]<ref name=shizoku/>

*[[Ichiki Jijuro|Ichiki Jijûrô]] - served c. [[1859]]-[[1861]]<ref name=shizoku/>

==References==

==References==