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Thread: Unsolved Mystery: Okinawan Military

  1. #1
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    Default Unsolved Mystery: Okinawan Military

    Did the Okinawan kingdom EVER have a military in the past ? Thanks everyone in advance !
    Prince Loeffler
    Shugyokan Dojo

  2. #2
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    Yes, at certain times, there was some form of a military in the Ryukyu Islands. There were times when chieftans fought each other, kingdoms were united and changed hands by force, and other islands brought under control of Ryukyuan kings by force. The Ryukyuans competed for territory with the Satsuma clan long before they were eventually subdued in the early 1600s.

    I recommend reading "Romantic Ryukyu in Okinawan Politics: The Myth of Ryukyuan Pacifism", (a short read - http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/...Smits_SF06.pdf ), and "Okinawa: A History of an Island People" (a much longer read, some of which you can read on Google Books - http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=v...tcover#PPP1,M1 ) for a look at the earlier history of Okinawa.
    Last edited by Todd Lambert; 8th June 2009 at 03:22.
    Nullius in verba

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    I remember reading something that Bushi Sakiyama had something to do with a type of militia on Okinawa. I think there may not have been a formalized military like in the sense that we think of it today but more like how the militia's were in the US around the time of the Revolutionary War.

    If anyone could elaborate on this more; the comments would be very welcome. I will see if I can dig up the source on the Sakiyama thing. Just did a move to San Diego and still unpacking everything.

    Scot
    Scot Mertz
    www.ryuhoryu.com

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    Yes, there was a ryukyuan military, which operated as a sort of army/national guard/national police.

    Early on, Okinawa was divided into small fiefdoms formed around farming communities. As in Japan, local landholders strove to aquire each others' holdings, and small militias developed. These fiefdoms eventually congealed into three kingdoms (or principalities, in some references).

    It was Sho Hashi (1371 – 1439CE) who, through military conquest, managed to unite the three kingdoms of Chuzan, Hokuzan, and Nanzan. He expanded Shuri Castle, and it became the seat of power of the united Ryukyu kingdom.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Todd Lambert View Post
    Yes, at certain times, there was some form of a military in the Ryukyu Islands. There were times when chieftans fought each other, kingdoms were united and changed hands by force, and other islands brought under control of Ryukyuan kings by force. The Ryukyuans competed for territory with the Satsuma clan long before they were eventually subdued in the early 1600s.

    I recommend reading "Romantic Ryukyu in Okinawan Politics: The Myth of Ryukyuan Pacifism", (a short read - http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/...Smits_SF06.pdf ), and "Okinawa: A History of an Island People" (a much longer read, some of which you can read on Google Books - http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=v...tcover#PPP1,M1 ) for a look at the earlier history of Okinawa.
    Thanks for the link to the article. It's an interesting read.
    Hieroteo Villarosa V

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