Nakasone Toyomiya
Encyclopedia
was a Ryukyuan local chief of the Miyako Islands
credited with repelling an invasion from Ishigaki Island, and expanding Miyako political control over some of the Yaeyama Islands
. When the Miyako Islands were attacked by the Ryūkyū Kingdom
, Nakasone saved the people of Miyako from harm by agreeing to surrender to annexation by the Kingdom.
Toyomiya (or, Tuyumya in Okinawan) was not a name, but rather something akin to a title or honorific. While he passed on the family name Nakasone to his descendants, this lineage, of which he is the founder, is at the same time called the . While the exact year of Nakasone's birth is unknown, the family's records indicate that he was born sometime in the Tianshun Chinese Imperial era
, i.e. 1457-1464.
At this time, the Ryūkyū Kingdom, based at Shuri
on Okinawa Island
, did not yet have direct control over the Yaeyama or Miyako Islands, but merely expected tribute
to be paid. When, in 1500, Oyake Akahachi
of Ishigaki Island led the people of Ishigaki and the surrounding islands in revolt against paying tribute and against the Kingdom, Nakasone aided the Kingdom's forces in suppressing the rebellion, securing his status as leader of Miyako, and seizing Ishigaki, Yonaguni (where he took the daughter of the chieftain Untura as his prize), and a few other neighboring islands in the process.
Shortly after these successful invasions which expanded the geographical scope of Miyako's political control, the islands came under attack from a force of roughly 3000 men sent by King Shō Shin
of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Seeing defeat as inevitable, Nakasone surrendered and agreed to have the Miyako Islands, along with the Yaeyamas which Nakasone had just secured, absorbed by the Kingdom. He is today worshipped and celebrated as a hero for having spared the people of Miyako from the death and destruction that would have resulted from attempts to resist the invasion.
Nakasone was formally appointed Chieftain of Miyako by the Shuri government, which also began a system of sending representatives from Okinawa to help oversee the administration of this corner of the kingdom for three-year-long terms. Most aspects of local administration were left in the hands of Nakasone, however, who was also empowered to deal out rewards and punishments, and to appoint local leaders to lesser aristocratic titles and bureaucratic posts.
Nakasone established a government office called the kuramoto (蔵元) which oversaw the collection of contributions to the tribute payment to be sent to Shuri. To help ensure this process, Nakasone effected road maintenance, as well as the construction of the stone bridge .
Nakasone was succeeded as Chieftain of Miyako around 1530, by someone bearing the same name as his great-great-grandfather, Meguro Mori. His grave can be found in Hirara City
on Miyako Island.
Miyako Islands
The are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, east of the Yaeyama Islands.-Islands grouping:*Japanese Archipelago**Nansei Islands***Ryūkyū Shotō****Sakishima Islands*****Miyako Islands-Inhabited islands:*Miyako Islands...
credited with repelling an invasion from Ishigaki Island, and expanding Miyako political control over some of the Yaeyama Islands
Yaeyama Islands
The Yaeyama Islands are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.The isles are the remotest part of Japan from the main islands and contains Japan's most southern and most western inhabited islands.The islands form the southern part of the volcanic Nansei Islands...
. When the Miyako Islands were attacked by the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
, Nakasone saved the people of Miyako from harm by agreeing to surrender to annexation by the Kingdom.
Life
Nakasone was the great-great-grandson of Meguro Mori who, in the 14th century, defeated the Yonahabara army under Sata Ubunto to unite the Miyako Islands for the first time.Toyomiya (or, Tuyumya in Okinawan) was not a name, but rather something akin to a title or honorific. While he passed on the family name Nakasone to his descendants, this lineage, of which he is the founder, is at the same time called the . While the exact year of Nakasone's birth is unknown, the family's records indicate that he was born sometime in the Tianshun Chinese Imperial era
Chinese era name
A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
, i.e. 1457-1464.
At this time, the Ryūkyū Kingdom, based at Shuri
Shuri
Shuri may refer to:* Shuri, Bhutan* Shuri, Okinawa - former capital of the Ryūkyū Kingdom.* Shuri Kondo...
on Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and is home to Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of...
, did not yet have direct control over the Yaeyama or Miyako Islands, but merely expected tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
to be paid. When, in 1500, Oyake Akahachi
Oyake Akahachi
' was a Ryukyuan local chief of Ishigaki Island who led a rebellion against Okinawan authorities in 1500.It is said that Akahachi was born on Hateruma Island, and that he was large and physically strong even as a child. He moved to Ishigaki Island as a young adult, and became the chief of Ōhama...
of Ishigaki Island led the people of Ishigaki and the surrounding islands in revolt against paying tribute and against the Kingdom, Nakasone aided the Kingdom's forces in suppressing the rebellion, securing his status as leader of Miyako, and seizing Ishigaki, Yonaguni (where he took the daughter of the chieftain Untura as his prize), and a few other neighboring islands in the process.
Shortly after these successful invasions which expanded the geographical scope of Miyako's political control, the islands came under attack from a force of roughly 3000 men sent by King Shō Shin
Sho Shin
' was a king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the third of the line of the Second Shō Dynasty. Shō Shin's long reign has been described as "the Great Days of Chūzan", a period of great peace and relative prosperity. He was the son of Shō En, the founder of the dynasty, by Yosoidon, Shō En's second wife,...
of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Seeing defeat as inevitable, Nakasone surrendered and agreed to have the Miyako Islands, along with the Yaeyamas which Nakasone had just secured, absorbed by the Kingdom. He is today worshipped and celebrated as a hero for having spared the people of Miyako from the death and destruction that would have resulted from attempts to resist the invasion.
Nakasone was formally appointed Chieftain of Miyako by the Shuri government, which also began a system of sending representatives from Okinawa to help oversee the administration of this corner of the kingdom for three-year-long terms. Most aspects of local administration were left in the hands of Nakasone, however, who was also empowered to deal out rewards and punishments, and to appoint local leaders to lesser aristocratic titles and bureaucratic posts.
Nakasone established a government office called the kuramoto (蔵元) which oversaw the collection of contributions to the tribute payment to be sent to Shuri. To help ensure this process, Nakasone effected road maintenance, as well as the construction of the stone bridge .
Nakasone was succeeded as Chieftain of Miyako around 1530, by someone bearing the same name as his great-great-grandfather, Meguro Mori. His grave can be found in Hirara City
Hirara, Okinawa
, was a city located in Okinawa, Japan on the island of Miyako.On October 1, 2005 Hirara was merged with the towns of Gusukube, Irabu and Shimoji, and the village of Ueno, all from Miyako District, to form the new city of Miyakojima, Okinawa....
on Miyako Island.