The administrative divisions of the Ryukyu Kingdom were a hierarchy composed of districtsmagiri or cities, villages, and islands established by the Ryukyu Kingdom throughout the Ryukyu Islands.

Divisions There were three or hō: , , and , which roughly correspond to the borders of the three Okinawan kingdoms during the Sanzan period. There were 57 throughout the kingdom including the Amami Islands. In concept they were similar to present-day Japanese prefectures, but in size they were closer to Japanese cities, towns and villages. There were four cities: , , , and . They were comparable to Japanese urban prefectures. There were over 600 throughout the kingdom including the Amami Islands. There were approximately 24 or "outlying islands", but only including islands that weren't already part of a magiri.

History

The three districts are based on the three kingdoms of Hokuzan, Chūzan, and Nanzan. The origin of the magiri system is unclear, but was solidified by the beginning of the reign of Shō Shin, the third king of the Second Shō Dynasty of the Ryukyu Kingdom who ruled between 1477 and 1526. The magiri were originally controlled by individual aji and oyakata, whose ruling area overwrapped in parts. While as the Ryukyu Kingdom centralized at the turn of the 15th century, the aji relocated to the capital of the kingdom at Shuri. After this period the title of aji became symbolic, and low-ranking officials were assigned the day-to-day administration of the magiri.

Each magiri had several villages, sometimes referred to as shima, which represented an administrative unit similar to the mura, or village, in feudal Japan. Each magiri had five to ten villages. Ryukyuan commoners were registered to a particular village, and movement to or from the administrative areas was generally not permitted. Under the system of Shō Shin the central government at Shuri assigned each village a noro priestess to carry out the religious functions of the settlement. The area was mapped on the Ryukyu kuni-ezu ( of 1696 or 9th year of Genroku) was compiled. That made it possible for the first time, to clarify the geopolitical location of ancient place names.

The magiri system continued to varying degrees in the Amami Islands even after they were ceded to Satsuma Domain in 1624. On Okinawa Island, there were 27 magiri at the turn of the 17th century, but by the 19th century Misato, Kushi, Motobu, Ginowan, Oroku, Onna, Ōgimi, and Yonagusuku were created, bringing the total to 35. The magiri system continued after the end of the Ryukyu Kingdom and annexation of the islands by Japan in 1879. In 1907, under , the Japanese administrative system of cities, towns, and village organization was extended to Okinawa. The magiri system was officially abolished on April 1, 1908.

List of magiri The following is a list of magiri by district:

Kunigami District , also known as and Kunigami or in Kanbun,Chūzan Seifu, preamble roughly correspond to the territory of Hokuzan during the Sanzan period.

Area Name Kanji Okinawan name present-day notesNorthern area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands Kunigami Kunjan Kunigami Ōgimi Wujimi Ōgimi established in 1673;changed name from in 1695 Iheya Ihya Iheya, Izena Haneji Haniji Nago (Haneji area, Yagaji area) Nakijin Nachijin Nakijin Motobu Mutubu Motobu established in 1666;changed name from in 1667 Nago Nagu Nago, excluding Haneji and Yagaji areas Kushi Kushi Higashi and part of Nago established in 1673 Kin Chin Kin, Ginoza Southern Amami Islands Erabu Irabu China, Wadomari, (Kagoshima Prefecture de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624;de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom Yoron Yunnu Yoron

Nakagami District or in Kanbun, roughly correspond to the territory of Chūzan during the Sanzan period.

Area Name Kanji Okinawan name present-day notesCentral area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands Onna Unna Onna established in 1673 Yomitanzan Yuntanja Yomitan Goeku Gwiiku Okinawa City Misato Njatu Okinawa City, Uruma (Ishikawa Area) established in 1666 Gushikawa Gushichaa Uruma (Gushikawa area) Katsuren Kacchan Uruma (Katsuren area) Yonashiro Yunagushiku Uruma (Yonashiro area) established with the name in 1676; changed name to in the same year; finally changed to Yonashiro in 1687. Nishihara Nishibaru Nishihara Chatan Chatan Chatan, Kadena, part of Okinawa City Nakagusuku Nakagushiku present Nakagusuku, Kita-Nakagusuku, Uruma (Tsuken Island) Ginowan Jinōn present-day Ginowan established in 1671 Urasoe Urashii Urasoe Nakazato Nakajatu Kumejima (Nakazato area) Uezu Wiiji Kumejima (Gushikawa area) Four cities(not included in magiri) Tomari Tumai Naha (northern area of Naha) Naha Nafa, Nafaa Naha (southern area of Naha), Tokashiki, Zamami contains 4 : , , and Kume Kuninda Naha (Kume area) community of Thirty-six families from Min.full name: Chinese name: Táng íng () before 1650; Táng róng () since 1650 Shuri Mihira Sui Mifira Naha (Shuri area, Mawashi area), Nishihara, Haebaru) contains Shuri Castle and 3 : , and

Shimajiri District or in Kanbun, roughly correspond to the territory of Nanzan during the Sanzan period.

Area Name Kanji Okinawan name present-day notesSouthern area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands Tomigusuku Tumigushiku Tomigusuku Oroku Uruku Naha (Oroku area) established in 1672 Takamine Takanmi Itoman (excluding Kyan and Mabuni areas) changed name from in 1667 Kyan Chan Itoman (Kyan area) Mabuni Mabuni Itoman (Mabuni area) Makabe Makabi Itoman (Makabe area) Kanegusuku Kanigushiku Itoman (Kanegusuku area) also known as Kochinda Kuchinda Yaese (Kochinda area) Gushichan Gushichan Yaese (Gushichan area) Ōzato Ufuzatu Nanjō (Ōzato area), Yonabaru) changed name from in 1667 Sashiki Sashichi Nanjō (Sashiki area, Chinen area) Tamagusuku Tamagushiku Nanjō (Tamagusuku area)

Sakishima Islands

Area Name Kanji Okinawan name present-day notesMiyako Islands Hirara Teera Miyakojima (Hirara area) Shimoji Shimuji Miyakojima (Shimoji area, Ueno area) Sunakawa Shinachaa Miyakojima (Gusukube area) Yaeyama Islands Ōhama Ufuhama Ishigaki Miyara Myaara Ishigaki Ishigaki Ishigachi Ishigaki

Northern Amami Islands Area Name Kanji Okinawan name present-day notesAmami Ōshima Kasari Amami (Kasari area) de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624;de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom Komi Tatsugō, Amami Naze Yamato, Amami Yakiuchi Yamato, Uken Sumiyō Amami (Sumiyō area) Nishikata Setouchi Higashikata Setouchi Kikaijima Shidooke Kikai (Shidooke area) Higa Kikai (Sōmachi area) Isago Kikai (Isago area) de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624;de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom established in 1693 Nishime Kikai (Nishime area) de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624;de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom Wan Kikai (Wan area) Araki Kikai (Araki area) Tokunoshima Higashi Tokunoshima Omonawa Unnō Isen Nishime Amagi

See also Prefectures of Japan

References Notes

References