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About Okinawa
History
Okinawa is located midway between the Japan archipelago and the Asian Continent. The history of Okinawa has been strongly affected by overseas influences unlike anywhere else in Japan. Until the middle of the 19th century, the original Ryukyu Kingdom developed due to trade with Asian countries. Later, Okinawa became Okinawa Prefecture and officially became Japanese territory; however, following World War II, Okinawa was ruled by the U.S. Army. Okinawa has a complex history and even today this complicated and prosperous history can still be seen in a large number of historical structures including the U.S. military bases, World Heritage sites as well as the daily lives of people in Okinawa.
Prehistoric Times
Prehistoric times in Okinawa lasted up until about the 10th century when hunting and gathering was the main form of subsistence. The exact age when people began living in Okinawa is unknown; however, Paleolithic human fossils have been excavated in Naha City and Minatogawa in Gushikami Village. Contact with Kyushu and China was active in the export of the broad pacific conch (Tricornis) that was used as a raw material in bracelets from 5000 B.C. to the 3rd century. There are also archaeological remains from contact with southern regions in the Miyako/Yaeyama islands.
Ryukyu Kingdom Era
When the farming society formed in the 12th century, the leaders in each region gained power and built “Gusuku” (Gusuku is castle in the Okinawa dialect) and fought each other for supremacy. Three powers divided Okinawa Island and ruled respectively in the 14th century and each of these three powers had a part in developing Okinawa. Later, a unified dynasty was formed in the 15th century giving birth to the independent Ryukyu Kingdom. The Ryukyu Kingdom ushered in prosperity through trade with neighboring countries but in the 16th Century the Kingdom was integrated into the Edo feudal government.
Before World War II
In the 19th century, Ryukyu followed Japan on the path to becoming a modern country and became part of the nation building of Japan as Okinawa Prefecture. During the wave of modernization that swept through various areas of Japan, Okinawa was left behind due to differences in customs and past systems, and as a result, the lives of the people in Okinawa deteriorated. In particular, the Depression, or "Sotetsu (cycad-tree) hell" in Japanese, devastated the economy of Okinawa and many Okinawans were forced to move to mainland Japan as migrant workers and overseas in search of a better life.
