Aiming to Re-evaluate the Ryukyu Kingdom

Today, Okinawa is one of the prefectures of Japan, but its history followed a path uniquely different from other regions.

For 450 years, from 1429 to 1879, these islands were governed by its own system known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Ryukyu Kingdom did not confine itself to its islands but promoted active diplomacy and trade with China, Japan, Korea, and the countries of Southeast Asia. Shurijo Castle, the headquarters for foreign exchange, displayed the slogan “We are using ships to play the role of a bridge across Asia.”

However, upheaval in the modern era has resulted in many records and heritage sites being completely lost, making the memory of the Ryukyu Kingdom a distant thing.

My research theme has been the re-evaluation of what we call the Ryukyu Kingdom. For this topic, I focused my efforts on understanding documents and information from various regions of Asia with which there was a great deal of exchange. I have also built a network with researchers from each of these regions. I led the reconstruction of Shurijo Castle, the headquarters for Asian exchange, to revive the symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

I was awarded a Japan Foundation Special Prize for these activities, and though it was unexpected, I was honored to accept it.

I and my colleagues had entirely devoted ourselves to the restoration of Shurijo Castle, but it was destroyed by a fire on October 31, 2019. However, a reconstruction project began immediately, of which I am a member.

I hope to continue working toward the re-evaluation of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

TAKARA Kurayoshi

(Original text in Japanese)

The Japan Foundation Award / Special Prizes (2004) - Profile