The administrative divisions of the Ryukyu Kingdom were a hierarchy composed of districts, magiri, or majiri cities, villages, and islands established by the Ryukyu Kingdom throughout the Ryukyu Islands.
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.
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,[1] 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 (Japanese: 琉球國絵図 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.
The following is a list of magiri by district:
, also known as links=no|Yanbaru|山原|[2] and Kunigami[3] or in Kanbun,[4] roughly correspond to the territory of Hokuzan during the Sanzan period.
| Area | Name | Kanji | Okinawan name | present-day | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands | Kunigami | Japanese: 国頭間切 | Kunjan | ||
| Ōgimi | Japanese: 大宜味間切 | Wujimi | established in 1673; changed name from in 1695 | ||
| Iheya | Japanese: 伊平屋間切 | Ihya | |||
| Haneji | Japanese: 羽地間切 | Haniji | Nago (Haneji area, Yagaji area) | ||
| Nakijin | Japanese: 今帰仁間切 | Nachijin | |||
| Motobu | Japanese: 本部間切 | Mutubu | established in 1666; changed name from in 1667 | ||
| Nago | Japanese: 名護間切 | Nagu | Nago, excluding Haneji and Yagaji areas | ||
| Kushi | Japanese: 久志間切 | Kushi | Higashi and part of Nago | established in 1673 | |
| Kin | Japanese: 金武間切 | Chin | |||
| Southern Amami Islands | Japanese: 永良部間切 | Irabu | de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624; de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom | ||
| Japanese: 与論間切 | Yunnu | ||||
[5] or in Kanbun,[4] roughly correspond to the territory of Chūzan during the Sanzan period.
| Area | Name | Kanji | Okinawan name | present-day | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands | Onna | Japanese: 恩納間切 | Unna | established in 1673 | |
| Yomitanzan | Japanese: 読谷山間切 | Yuntanja | |||
| Goeku | Japanese: 越来間切 | Gwiiku | |||
| Misato | Japanese: 美里間切 | Njatu | Okinawa City, Uruma (Ishikawa Area) | established in 1666 | |
| Gushikawa | Japanese: 具志川間切 | Gushichaa | Uruma (Gushikawa area) | ||
| Katsuren | Japanese: 勝連間切 | Kacchan | Uruma (Katsuren area) | ||
| Yonashiro | Japanese: 与那城間切 | Yunagushiku | Uruma (Yonashiro area) | established with the name in 1676; changed name to in the same year; finally changed to Yonashiro in 1687. | |
| Nishihara | Japanese: 西原間切 | Nishibaru | |||
| Chatan | Japanese: 北谷間切 | Chatan | Chatan, Kadena, part of Okinawa City | ||
| Nakagusuku | Japanese: 中城間切 | Nakagushiku | present Nakagusuku, Kita-Nakagusuku, Uruma (Tsuken Island) | ||
| Ginowan | Japanese: 宜野湾間切 | Jinōn | established in 1671 | ||
| Urasoe | Japanese: 浦添間切 | Urashii | |||
| Nakazato | Japanese: 仲里間切 | Nakajatu | Kumejima (Nakazato area) | ||
| Uezu | Japanese: 上江洲間切 | Wiiji | Kumejima (Gushikawa area) | ||
| Four cities (not included in magiri) | Tomari | Japanese: 泊 | Tumai | Naha (northern area of Naha) | |
| Naha | Japanese: 那覇 | Nafa, Nafaa | contains 4 :,, and [6] | ||
| Japanese: 久米 | Kuninda | Naha (Kume area) | community of Thirty-six families from Min. full name: Chinese name: Táng íng (Chinese: 唐營) before 1650; Táng róng (Chinese: 唐榮) since 1650 | ||
| Shuri Mihira | Japanese: 首里三平等 | Sui Mifira | Naha (Shuri area, Mawashi area), Nishihara, Haebaru) | contains Shuri Castle and 3 :, and [7] | |
[8] or in Kanbun,[4] roughly correspond to the territory of Nanzan during the Sanzan period.
| Area | Name | Kanji | Okinawan name | present-day | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern area of Okinawa Main Island and nearby islands | Tomigusuku | Japanese: 豊見城間切 | Tumigushiku | ||
| Oroku | Japanese: 小禄間切 | Uruku | Naha (Oroku area) | established in 1672 | |
| Takamine | Japanese: 高嶺間切 | Takanmi | Itoman (excluding Kyan and Mabuni areas) | changed name from in 1667 | |
| Kyan | Japanese: 喜屋武間切 | Chan | Itoman (Kyan area) | ||
| Mabuni | Japanese: 摩文仁間切 | Mabuni | Itoman (Mabuni area) | ||
| Makabe | Japanese: 真壁間切 | Makabi | Itoman (Makabe area) | ||
| Kanegusuku | Japanese: 兼城間切 | Kanigushiku | Itoman (Kanegusuku area) | also known as links=no|Shimajirikanegusuku|島尻兼城 | |
| Kochinda | Japanese: 東風平間切 | Kuchinda | Yaese (Kochinda area) | ||
| Gushichan | Japanese: 具志頭間切 | Gushichan | Yaese (Gushichan area) | ||
| Ōzato | Japanese: 大里間切 | Ufuzatu | Nanjō (Ōzato area), Yonabaru) | changed name from in 1667 | |
| Sashiki | Japanese: 佐敷間切 | Sashichi | Nanjō (Sashiki area, Chinen area) | ||
| Tamagusuku | Japanese: 玉城間切 | Tamagushiku | Nanjō (Tamagusuku area) | ||
| Area | Name | Kanji | Okinawan name | present-day | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hirara | Japanese: 平良間切 | Teera | Miyakojima (Hirara area) | ||
| Shimoji | Japanese: 下地間切 | Shimuji | Miyakojima (Shimoji area, Ueno area) | ||
| Sunakawa | Japanese: 砂川間切 | Shinachaa | Miyakojima (Gusukube area) | ||
| Ōhama | Japanese: 大浜間切 | Ufuhama | |||
| Miyara | Japanese: 宮良間切 | Myaara | |||
| Ishigaki | Japanese: 石垣間切 | Ishigachi | |||
| Area | Name | Kanji | Okinawan name | present-day | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kasari | Japanese: 笠利間切 | Amami (Kasari area) | de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624; de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom | ||
| Komi | Japanese: 古見間切 | Tatsugō, Amami | |||
| Naze | Japanese: 名瀬間切 | Yamato, Amami | |||
| Yakiuchi | Japanese: 焼内間切 | Yamato, Uken | |||
| Sumiyō | Japanese: 住用間切 | Amami (Sumiyō area) | |||
| Nishikata | Japanese: 西方間切 | Setouchi | |||
| Higashikata | Japanese: 東方間切 | Setouchi | |||
| Shidooke | Japanese: 志戸桶間切 | Kikai (Shidooke area) | |||
| Higa | Japanese: 東間切 | Kikai (Sōmachi area) | |||
| Isago | Japanese: 伊砂間切 | 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 | Japanese: 西目間切 | Kikai (Nishime area) | de facto incorporated into Satsuma Domain (Ōsumi Province) since 1624; de jure remained a part of Ryukyu Kingdom | ||
| Wan | Japanese: 湾間切 | Kikai (Wan area) | |||
| Araki | Japanese: 荒木間切 | Kikai (Araki area) | |||
| Higashi | Japanese: 東間切 | Tokunoshima | |||
| Omonawa | Japanese: 面縄間切 | Unnō | Isen | ||
| Nishime | Japanese: 西目間切 | Amagi | |||