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85-455: The Amami Islands are limestone islands of coralline origin and have a total area of approximately 1,240.28 square kilometres (478.87 sq mi), of which 308.3 square kilometres (119.0 sq mi) constitute the city ( -shi ) of Amami, and 931.9 square kilometres (359.8 sq mi) constitute the district ( -gun ) of Oshima. The highest elevation is Yuwandake with a height of 694 metres (2,277 ft) on Amami Ōshima . The climate

170-592: A capture, and a stranding since 1901) and as of 2014 , Amami is the only location in East China Sea where this species has been confirmed in the past 110 years. It is also one of two locations in the world along with the Bonin Islands where constant appearance in winter has been confirmed since the 20th century. Discovery of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Seto strait made it the first confirmation in

255-523: A commoner who had risen through the ranks from foot soldier, Hideyoshi was now in a position to challenge even the most senior of the Oda clan's hereditary retainers, and proposed that Nobutada's infant son, Sanpōshi (who became Oda Hidenobu ), be named heir rather than Nobunaga's adult third son, Nobutaka, whose cause had been championed by Shibata Katsuie . Having gained the support of other senior retainers, including Niwa Nagahide and Ikeda Tsuneoki , Sanpōshi

340-505: A democratic election, the local electorate chose a governor who pledged reversion to Japan (this also happened in other native governments of Ryukyu, namely those of Okinawa, Miyakojima , and Yaeyama ). The United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) was alarmed by this development, and reduced the power of native governments to that of a figurehead status. In 1952, USCAR founded another governmental body called

425-662: A large mangrove forest. In December 2001 there was a naval battle called the Battle of Amami-Ōshima between an armed North Korean spy craft and Japanese Coast Guard ships near Amami Ōshima. The spy craft violated the Exclusive economic zone of Japan . This was a six-hour confrontation that ended with the sinking of the North Korean vessel. In 2017 the Amami Guntō National Park was established. It absorbed

510-509: A nesting of leatherback turtle has been seen in Japan. Amami Oshima had a population of 73,000 people in 2013. 44,561 people live in the city of Amami . The total area of Amami city is 308.15 km with a population density of 145 persons per km . The economy of Amami Ōshima is based on agriculture ( sugar cane , rice and sweet potatoes ), commercial fishing , and the distillation of shōchū . The favorable climate allows for two rice crops

595-510: A nobility class called the aji , who resided in castles called gusuku . Famous gusuku included Beru Castle in Kasari, Amami , and Yononushi Castle in Wadomari . Stronger aji battled each other to expand their territories. Local folklore states that some Taira clan members, having lost the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185, fled to Amami Ōshima. The historical accuracy of this claim

680-465: A significant victory over the Takeda clan in the Battle of Nagashino . Despite the strong reputation of Takeda's samurai cavalry, Oda Nobunaga embraced the relatively new technology of the arquebus , and inflicted a crushing defeat. The legacy of this battle forced a complete overhaul of traditional Japanese warfare. In 1582, after a protracted campaign, Hideyoshi requested Nobunaga's help in overcoming

765-572: A style different from that of Ryukyu, and still remain as a part of their culture today. Under Satsuma's rule, names of Amami people underwent a great change, and they are today known for many unique one-character surnames. In 1871, after the Meiji Restoration , the Amami Islands were incorporated into Ōsumi Province , and then into Kagoshima Prefecture . During World War II , more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers were garrisoned in

850-489: A threat politically, and it appeared that unification under the Oda banner was a matter of time. Nobunaga's enemies were not only other daimyōs but also adherents of a Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism who were of the Ikkō-ikki faction, led by Kōsa . He endured though Nobunaga kept attacking his fortress for ten years. Nobunaga expelled Kennyo in the eleventh year, but, through a riot caused by Kennyo, Nobunaga's territory took

935-439: A year. Seasonal tourism is also an important part of the economy. Traditional crafts on the island include the production of high quality hand-crafted silk called Ōshima-tsumugi which is mainly used to make kimono . Along with Persian carpets and Gobelin tapestries, is said to be one of the world's three great textiles. Ōshima-tsumugi is dyed with mud to create their characteristic black color. The port of Naze , located in

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1020-502: Is a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) with very warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, but is highest in the months of May, June and September. The area is subject to frequent typhoons . The population of the Amami Islands on 1 October 2020 was 104,281, of which 41,390 were in the city of Amami- shi and 62,891 were in the district of Oshima- gun . Islanders started to produce earthenware from 6,000 years ago, affected by

1105-664: Is also a village sign language , named as Amami Oshima Sign Language , being used in the area. Azuchi-Momoyama period The Azuchi–Momoyama period ( 安土桃山時代 , Azuchi–Momoyama jidai ) was the final phase of the Sengoku period ( 戦国時代 , Sengoku jidai ) in Japanese history from 1568 to 1600. After the outbreak of the Ōnin War in 1467, the power of the Ashikaga Shogunate effectively collapsed, marking

1190-505: Is of volcanic origin, with Mount Yuwanda at 605 metres (1,985 ft) above sea level at its highest peak. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef , and the island may also have been home to some of the northernmost coral reefs in Japan during the last glacial period . It is surrounded by the East China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east. Amami Ōshima belongs to Kagoshima prefecture . It consists of

1275-536: Is sometimes called a living fossil because it represents an ancient Asian lineage that has elsewhere disappeared. The island is also home to the habu , a venomous snake that can be found throughout the Ryūkyū Islands. Mongooses were introduced to kill the habu, but have become another problem, as an increase in the mongoose population has been linked to the decline of the Amami rabbit and other endemic species. After

1360-541: Is unknown. This gusuku period is sometimes called the Aji period ( 按司世 , Ajin'yu ) . Eventually the Amami aji were forced to pay tribute to stronger nations to retain autonomy. Ryukyuan records state that Amami aji paid tribute to Eiso , the king of Chūzan in Sanzan period Okinawa. Okinoerabu and Yoron fell under Hokuzan 's control. However, since Okinawa itself was still rife with civil wars, it could not control

1445-555: The Nanban style —exotic depictions of European priests, traders, and other "southern barbarians" . The art of the tea ceremony also flourished at this time, and both Nobunaga and Hideyoshi lavished time and money on this pastime, collecting tea bowls, caddies, and other implements, sponsoring lavish social events, and patronizing acclaimed masters such as Sen no Rikyū . Hideyoshi had occupied Nagasaki in 1587, and thereafter sought to take control of international trade and to regulate

1530-763: The Amami language . It is divided into several dialects: the Kikai dialect, North Amami dialect, South Amami dialect, and Tokunoshima dialect. Dialects spoken in the southern islands of Okinoerabu and Yoron are part of the Kunigami language centered on Northern Okinawa Island. These dialects and languages all belong to the Northern Ryukyuan group of the Ryukyuan languages . Although the Ryukyuan languages belong to

1615-551: The Azuchi-Momoyama period , led Shimazu Tadatsune , the ruler of Satsuma Domain in southern Kyushu, to invade the Ryukyu Kingdom in order to gain control of the shipping routes between Japan and China. In April 1609, Shimazu launched an invasion of the Ryukyu Kingdom. They landed on Amami Ōshima, then Tokuno, Okinoerabu, and Okinawa itself. Satsuma met fierce resistance, but eventually defeated Ryukyu, by capturing

1700-466: The Battle of Amami-Ōshima , which resulted in a Japanese victory. Download coordinates as: As a part of the Ryukyuan cultural sphere, Amami culture is closer to that of the other Ryukyu Islands than to that of mainland Japan. However, the islands' history is different from Okinawa as well. Okinawa, including the Sakishima Islands , had strong cultural influences from China, whereas Amami

1785-626: The Government of the Ryukyu Islands , in which "local leaders" were appointed by the American government. Amami residents were dissatisfied with these controls by the U.S. Moreover, the Amami economy suffered from separation from the Japanese market. Public funds of the U.S. administration were mostly used for heavily damaged Okinawa and the military bases there. The Amami Islands Homeland Restoration Movement, which had started immediately after

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1870-523: The Japonic family along with Japanese , they are often not mutually intelligible between each other and Japanese. Because of the education system put in place during the Meiji period, all Amami people today speak standard Japanese. However, the de facto common speech among Amami people under 60 is Amami Japanese , a dialect of the Japanese language that uses an Amami accent and some words and phrases from

1955-729: The Jōmon culture in Kyushu . Initially, the styles were similar to those of the main islands of Japan, but later, a style original to Amami, known as "Usuki Lower Style", was developed. Among Japanese literature, mention of the islands first appeared in the late 7th century. The Nihon Shoki contains an entry dated 657 referring to Amami-shima ( 海見嶋 , "Amami Island") , and to the Amami-bito ( 阿麻弥人 , "Amami people") in 682. The Shoku Nihongi refers to Amami ( 菴美 ) in 699 and Amami ( 奄美 ) in 714. All of these are believed to be identical to

2040-589: The Kanto region , held 2.5 million koku . The surveys, carried out by Hideyoshi both before and after he took the title of taikō , have come to be known as the "Taikō surveys" ( Taikō kenchi ). A number of other administrative innovations were instituted to encourage commerce and stabilize society. In order to facilitate transportation, toll booths and other checkpoints along roads were largely eliminated, as were unnecessary military strongholds. Measures that effectively froze class distinctions were instituted, including

2125-486: The Matsunaga and Miyoshi clans attempted a coup by assassinating Ashikaga Yoshiteru , the 13th Ashikaga shōgun . Internal squabbling, however, prevented them from acting swiftly to legitimatize their claim to power, and it was not until 1568 that they managed to install Yoshiteru's cousin, Ashikaga Yoshihide , as the next shōgun . Failure to enter Kyoto and gain recognition from the imperial court, however, had left

2210-549: The Ryukyuan languages group. According to Ethnologue , as of 2005 there were about 10,000 speakers of the Northern Ōshima dialect and about 1,800 speakers of the Southern Ōshima dialect. These dialects are now spoken mostly by older residents of the island, while most of the younger generations are monolingual in Japanese . The Amami language, including the Ōshima dialects, is classified as endangered by UNESCO . There

2295-672: The Tokara Islands to Japan in February 1952, and the Amami Islands on December 25, 1953. The U.S. government called it "a Christmas present to Japan". This period is called the American period ( アメリカ世 , Amerika-yo ) . Although the Amami Islands were returned to Japan in 1953, Okinawa remained under American control until 1972. Because of this, Amami people who worked in Okinawa suddenly became "foreigners", making their situations difficult. The Japanese government promulgated

2380-478: The pentatonic scale of Ab, C, Db, Eb, G - that is, a hemitonic scale with intervals 2-0.5-1-2-0.5 (leading note) - Amami folk songs use the scale of C, D, E, G, A - an anhemitonic scale with intervals 1-1-1.5-1-1.5 (the same as the Greek pentatonic scale). Singers use a falsetto voice when singing. Each community has multiple utaki shrines for the native religion , as well as Shinto shrines established by

2465-475: The Amami Islands Promotion and Development Special Measures Law. However, the economic gap between the islands and the mainland still exists to this day. The law did help residents by improving the island's infrastructure. However, its bureaucratic system has been criticized as causing unnecessary destruction of nature. In 2001, there was a small naval exchange between North Korea and Japan in

2550-523: The Amami Islands, although the islands were never invaded, and experienced only small scale airstrikes . This period, until 1945, is called the Yamato period ( 大和世 , Yamatun'yu ) . After the surrender of Japan , the Amami Islands fell under direct American military control, with American documents referring to the Amami Islands as the "Northern Ryukyu Islands". The Japanese government believed this indicated an American intention to permanently separate

2635-929: The Amami language, locally referred to as Ton-futsūgo ( トン普通語 , lit. "Potato standard") . The speech is different from Uchinaa-Yamatuguchi ( Okinawan Japanese ), the Okinawan equivalent used in Okinawa. Ton-futsūgo is affected not only by standard Japanese, but also by the Kagoshima dialect and the Kansai dialect . The local folk songs in Amami are called shima uta . Although shima means "island" in Japanese, it means "community" in Amami. Thus shima uta literally means "communities' songs". Singers of shima uta are called utasha  [ ja ] (lit. "singer"). Some utasha also sing pop songs as well, examples include Chitose Hajime , Kousuke Atari , Rikki , and Anna Sato  [ ja ] . Some believe that

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2720-488: The Japanese government, whereas Buddhist temples are less common than in Japan. As in Okinawa, priestesses called noro exist, and the people worship according to the native religious norms. There are three Ryukyuan tomb styles: the house style, the turtle style, and the cave style. Most tombs in Amami use the house style, unlike in Okinawa where the turtle style is more prevalent. However, there are tombs called "Shiroma Tofuru" tombs, which were built 400 years ago, that use

2805-770: The Kinai region, Nobunaga was now powerful enough to assign his generals the task of subjugating the outlying provinces. Shibata Katsuie was given the task of conquering the Uesugi clan in Etchū , Takigawa Kazumasu confronted the Shinano Province that a son of Shingen, Takeda Katsuyori governed, and Hashiba Hideyoshi was given the formidable task of facing the Mōri clan in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū. In 1575, Nobunaga won

2890-544: The Kinai region. Resistance in the form of rival daimyōs , intransigent Buddhist monks, and hostile merchants was eliminated swiftly and mercilessly, and Nobunaga quickly gained a reputation as a ruthless, unrelenting adversary. In support of his political and military moves, he instituted economic reform, removing barriers to commerce by invalidating traditional monopolies held by shrines and guilds and promoting initiative by instituting free markets known as rakuichi-rakuza . The newly installed shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki also

2975-490: The Korean navy and an increasing Chinese involvement in the conflict. Upon the death of Hideyoshi in 1598, his designated successor Toyotomi Hideyori was only 5 years old. As such, the domestic political situation in Japan became unstable, making continuation of the war difficult and causing the Japanese to withdraw from Korea. At this stage, most of the remaining Japanese commanders were more concerned about internal battles and

3060-636: The Ming court, asking urgently for military assistance. The Chinese emperor sent admiral Chen Lin and commander Li Rusong to aid the Koreans. Commander Li pushed the Japanese out of the northern part of the Korean Peninsula . The Japanese were forced to withdraw as far as the southern part of the Korean peninsula by January 1593, and counterattacked Li Rusong. This combat reached a stalemate, and Japan and China eventually entered peace talks. During

3145-539: The Northern Amami Islands. Aji from Tokuno and further north just paid tribute to Okinawan kingdoms, and continued to remain independent. After 1429, Shō Hashi unified Okinawa Island , founding the Ryukyu Kingdom . During the 1430s and 1440s, Ryukyu expanded into the Amami Islands. By 1450, Ryukyuan forces had reached deep into the Tokara Islands and conquered all but Kikai Island , which

3230-479: The Oda clan. The situation became even more urgent when it was made known that Nobunaga's oldest son and heir, Nobutada , killed himself, leaving the Oda clan with no clear successor. Quickly negotiating a truce with the Mōri clan before they could learn of Nobunaga's death, Hideyoshi now took his troops on a forced march toward his adversary, whom he defeated at the Battle of Yamazaki less than two weeks later. Although

3315-627: The Rokkaku clan in southern Ōmi, Nobunaga forced the Matsunaga to capitulate and the Miyoshi to withdraw to Settsu. He then entered the capital, where he successfully gained recognition from the emperor for Yoshiaki, who became the 15th and last Ashikaga shōgun . Nobunaga had no intention, however, of serving the Muromachi bakufu , and instead now turned his attention to tightening his grip on

3400-519: The Takeda army was on the cusp of obliterating the Oda–Tokugawa alliance, Takeda Shingen suddenly perished, under mysterious circumstances. (Multiple suggestions for his demise include battlefield death from marksman, ninja assassination, and stomach cancer.) Having suddenly lost their leader, the Takeda army quickly retreated back to their home base in Kai Province and Nobunaga was saved. With

3485-654: The Tokugawa family to the Kanto region, far from the capital, and surrounded their new territory with more trusted vassals. He also adopted a hostage system, in which the wives and heirs of daimyōs resided at his castle town in Osaka . Hideyoshi attempted to provide for an orderly succession by taking the title taikō , or "retired Kanpaku (Imperial regent)", in 1591, and turned the regency over to his nephew and adopted son Toyotomi Hidetsugu . Only later did he attempt to formalize

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3570-653: The Tokugawa victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 – unofficially establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate and beginning the Edo period . The Azuchi–Momoyama period encompassed the transition of Japanese society from the pre-modern to the early modern period . The Azuchi–Momoyama period is named after Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle and Hideyoshi's Momoyama Castle , and is also known as the Shokuhō period ( 織豊時代 , Shokuhō jidai ) in some Japanese texts, abridged from

3655-587: The Toyotomi name, precipitating a crisis that led to the Battle of Sekigahara . Generally regarded as the last major conflict of both the Azuchi–Momoyama and the Sengoku period, Ieyasu's victory at Sekigahara marked the end of Toyotomi's reign. Three years later, Ieyasu received the title Sei-i Tai-shōgun , and established the Edo bakufu , which lasted until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The period saw

3740-496: The arrest of twenty-six Christians to warn Japanese who thought about converting to Christianity. They were tortured, mutilated, paraded through towns and crucified in Nagasaki . This became known as the 26 Martyrs of Japan . These measures severely curbed Christianity and foreign influence in Japan. Hideyoshi sought to secure his position by rearranging the holdings of the daimyōs to his advantage. In particular, he reassigned

3825-513: The balance of power by establishing administrative bodies. These included the Council of Five Elders , who were sworn to keep peace and support the Toyotomi , the five-member Board of House Administrators, who handled routine policy and administrative matters, and the three-member Board of Mediators, who were charged with keeping peace between the first two boards. Hideyoshi's last major ambition

3910-574: The bulk of the damage. This long war was called the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War . Nobunaga was highly interested in foreign cultures, especially those of western Europe. A significant amount of Western Christian culture was introduced to Japan by missionaries from Europe. From this exposure, Japan received new foods, a new drawing method, astronomy, geography, medical science, and new printing techniques. Most critically, trade with Europe provided Nobunaga's armies with new weapons, among them

3995-481: The capital of Shuri . Ryukyu ceded the Amami Islands to Satsuma Domain in 1611. Satsuma started to directly rule the islands from 1613, sending a daikan commissioner. However, it was still nominally treated as Ryukyuan territory, and bureaucrats from the kingdom were dispatched as well. Satsuma control over the islands was formally recognized by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1624. At first, Satsuma's administration

4080-439: The city of Amami is a major regional shipping and ferry hub. Amami Airport , located at the northern end of the island, is connected to Tokyo, Osaka, Naha , Fukuoka and Kagoshima as well as local flights to the other Amami Islands . There are bus routes and roads on the island. Two dialects of the Amami language are spoken in Amami Ōshima: the Northern Ōshima dialect and the Southern Ōshima dialect. These dialects are part of

4165-483: The city of Amami , the towns of Tatsugō , Setouchi , and the villages of Uken and Yamato in Kagoshima Prefecture . Much of the island is within the borders of the Amami Guntō National Park . In 2021, it was listed as part of the serial UNESCO World Heritage Site of Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island . It is uncertain when Amami Ōshima

4250-448: The court of Tang dynasty China. Mother of pearl was an important export item to Japan. Between 1571 and 1611, Amami Ōshima was briefly incorporated as part of the Ryukyu Kingdom as it expanded northwards along the archipelago. As Ryukyu was a tributary vassal of Ming China, this changed the status of the island as well. To counter Ming authority, the island was invaded by samurai from Shimazu clan in 1609 and its incorporation into

4335-399: The current Amami. The tenth kentō-shi mission (Japanese Imperial embassies to China ) traveled to Tang dynasty China via Amami Ōshima. Among locals, this prehistoric period is called the Amami period ( 奄美世 , Aman'yu ) . Agriculture came to the islands around the 12th century, and the people shifted to farming from hunting. As on Okinawa Island , this resulted in the development of

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4420-490: The death of Takeda Shingen in early 1573, the "Anti-Oda Alliance" that Ashikaga Yoshiaki created quickly crumbled as Nobunaga destroyed the alliance of the Asakura clan and Azai clan that threatened his northern flank, and soon after expelled the shōgun himself from Kyoto. Even after Shingen's death, there remained several daimyōs powerful enough to resist Nobunaga, but none were situated close enough to Kyoto to pose

4505-458: The development of large urban centers and the rise of the merchant class. The ornate castle architecture and interiors adorned with painted screens embellished with gold leaf were a reflection of a daimyō ' s power but also exhibited a new aesthetic sense that marked a clear departure from the somber monotones favored during the Muromachi period . A genre that emerged at this time was called

4590-412: The earliest relatively numerous increase of Europeans into the region. During the period from 1576 to 1579, Nobunaga constructed, on the shore of Lake Biwa at Azuchi , Azuchi Castle , a magnificent seven-story castle that was intended to serve not simply as an impregnable military fortification, but also as a sumptuous residence that would stand as a symbol of unification. Having secured his grip on

4675-416: The first major casualty of this war as it was completely destroyed by Nobunaga). As the Oda army was bogged down by fighting on every corner, Takeda Shingen led what was by then widely considered as the most powerful army in Japan and marched towards the Oda home base of Owari , easily crushing Nobunaga's young ally and future shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Mikatagahara in 1573. However, as

4760-542: The following municipalities. The climate of Amami Ōshima is classified as a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) with very warm summers and mild winters. The rainy season lasts from May through September. The island is subject to frequent typhoons . Amami Ōshima is home to several rare or endangered endemic animals, including the Amami rabbit and the Lidth's jay , both of which are now found only in Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima . The Amami rabbit

4845-442: The former Amami Gunto Quasi-national Park and other land and sea areas in adjacent municipalities . Amami Ōshima is the seventh-largest island in the Japanese archipelago after the four main islands, Okinawa Island and Sado Island (excluding the disputed Kuril Islands ). It is located approximately 380 kilometres (210 nmi) south of the southern tip of Kyūshū and 250 kilometres (130 nmi) north of Okinawa . The island

4930-465: The inevitable struggles for the control of the shogunate. Hideyoshi had on his deathbed appointed a group of the most powerful lords in Japan—Tokugawa, Maeda , Ukita , Uesugi, and Mōri, to govern as the Council of Five Elders until his infant son, Hideyori, came of age. An uneasy peace lasted until the death of Maeda Toshiie in 1599. Thereafter, Ishida Mitsunari accused Ieyasu of disloyalty to

5015-739: The islands from Japan, and in response, stressed to the American occupation authorities that the islands were an integral part of Kagoshima Prefecture. In February 1946, the Amami Islands were officially separated from Japan. In October, the Provisional Government of the Northern Ryukyu Islands  [ ja ] was founded, formed by local leaders. It changed its name to the Amami Gunto Government  [ ja ] in 1950. However, under

5100-492: The matchlock rifle or arquebus. Nobunaga decided to reduce the power of the Buddhist monasteries, and gave protection to Christianity , although he never converted to Christianity himself. He slaughtered many Buddhist priests who resisted him, and burned their fortified temples. The activities of European traders and Catholic missionaries ( Alessandro Valignano , Luís Fróis , Gnecchi-Soldo Organtino ) in Japan saw one of

5185-453: The mongoose population reached 10,000 by 2000, authorities launched an eradication campaign that led to the complete eradication of mongoose on the island by 2024. Whale watching to see humpback whales has become a featured attraction in winter in recent years. It is also notable that North Pacific right whale , the most endangered of all whale species, have repeatedly appeared around the island (there are five records of three sightings,

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5270-413: The nation. Other species include whales ( Bryde's , sperm ), smaller whales or dolphins ( false killer , spinner , spotted ), and so on. Before being wiped out, many large whales such as blue and fin were seasonal migrants. The island marks the northernmost limit of dugong distribution, with occasional sightings throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. Amami Oshima is the only place where

5355-488: The nine major daimyō coalitions and carried the war of unification to Shikoku and Kyushu. In 1590, at the head of an army of 200,000, Hideyoshi defeated the Later Hōjō clan , his last formidable rival in eastern Honshū in the siege of Odawara . The remaining daimyō soon capitulated, and the military reunification of Japan was complete. With all of Japan now under Hideyoshi's control, a new structure for national government

5440-428: The official holdings of that domain was recognized by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1624. Shimazu rule was harsh, with the inhabitants of the island reduced to serfdom and forced to raise sugar cane to meet high taxation, which often resulted in famine. Saigō Takamori was exiled to Amami Ōshima in 1859, staying for two years, and his house has been preserved as a memorial museum. After the Meiji Restoration Amami Ōshima

5525-591: The peace talks that ensued between 1593 and 1597, Hideyoshi, seeing Japan as an equal of Ming China, demanded a division of Korea, free-trade status, and a Chinese princess as consort for the emperor. The Joseon and Chinese leaders saw no reason to concede to such demands, nor to treat the invaders as equals within the Ming trading system. Japan's requests were thus denied and peace efforts reached an impasse. A second invasion of Korea began in 1597, but it too resulted in failure as Japanese forces met with better organized Korean defenses especially under Admiral Yi Sun-sin of

5610-502: The requirement that different classes live separately in different areas of a town and a prohibition on the carrying or ownership of weapons by farmers. Hideyoshi ordered the collection of weapons in a great " sword hunt " ( katanagari ). In 1586, Hideyoshi conquered Kyushu in the Kyushu Campaign (1586-1587) from the Shimazu clan . In 1587, Hideyoshi increased control over the Kirishitan daimyos by banishing Christian missionaries from Kyūshū. In January 1597, Hideyoshi ordered

5695-406: The resistance. Nobunaga, making a stop-over in Kyoto on his way west with only a small contingent of guards, was attacked by one of his own disaffected generals , Akechi Mitsuhide , and committed suicide. What followed was a scramble by the most powerful of Nobunaga's retainers to avenge their lord's death and thereby establish a dominant position in negotiations over the forthcoming realignment of

5780-416: The separation, became stronger. The Amami Communist Party , formed in 1947, also favored reunification. Among locals over 14 years old, 99.8% of them signed in a bid toward reversion. Some municipalities and communities went on a hunger strike after the example of Mahatma Gandhi . The Treaty of San Francisco in 1952 put the Amami islands under trusteeship as part of the Ryukyu Islands. The U.S. returned

5865-403: The start of the chaotic Sengoku period. In 1568, Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto to install Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th and ultimately final Ashikaga shōgun . This entrance marked the start of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Nobunaga overthrew Yoshiaki and dissolved the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573, launching a war of conquest to politically unify Japan by force from his base in Azuchi . Nobunaga

5950-421: The succession in doubt, and a group of bakufu retainers led by Hosokawa Fujitaka negotiated with Nobunaga to gain support for Yoshiteru's younger brother, Yoshiaki . Nobunaga, who had prepared over a period of years for just such an opportunity by establishing an alliance with the Azai clan in northern Ōmi Province and then conquering the neighboring Mino Province , now marched toward Kyoto. After routing

6035-400: The surnames of the period's two leaders in on-yomi : Shoku ( 織 ) for Oda ( 織田 ) plus Hō ( 豊 ) for Toyotomi ( 豊臣 ) . During the last half of the 16th century, a number of daimyōs became strong enough either to manipulate the Ashikaga shogunate to their own advantage or to overthrow it altogether. One attempt to overthrow the bakufu (the Japanese term for the shogunate)

6120-477: The turtle style. Amami %C5%8Cshima Amami Ōshima ( 奄美大島 , Okinawan : Uushima ( ウーシマ ) ; Amami : Ushima ( ウシマ ) ) , also known as Amami , is the largest island in the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa . It is one of the Satsunan Islands . The island, 712.35 km in area, has a population of approximately 73,000 people. Administratively it is divided into

6205-607: The undisputed ruler of the former Oda domains. The daimyō of the Shikoku Chōsokabe clan surrendered to Hideyoshi in July, 1585, and the daimyō of Kyushu Shimazu clan also surrendered two years later. He was adopted by the Fujiwara clan , given the surname Toyotomi, and granted the superlative title kanpaku , representing civil and military control of all Japan. By the following year, he had secured alliances with three of

6290-415: The word shima uta originally referred to Amami folk songs only, and is therefore now mistakenly used for Okinawan folk songs. The Japanese rock band The Boom 's 1992 hit song called Shima Uta , which incorporated some Okinawan styles and thus causes confusion as to the precision of the term. Others argue the word was used for Okinawan folk songs as well even before 1992. While Okinawan folk songs use

6375-555: Was forced to commit suicide in the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582. His successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed Nobunaga's campaign of unification and enacted reforms to consolidate his rule, marking the end of the Sengoku period. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592, but their failure damaged his prestige, and his young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori was challenged by Tokugawa Ieyasu after Hideyoshi's death in 1598. The Azuchi–Momoyama period ended with

6460-453: Was a mild one, but as the financial deterioration of the domain became worse, the administration changed to one of exploitation. Satsuma imposed high taxes payable in sugar. This resulted in sugarcane monoculture , which often resulted in severe famines. During these times, the Amami people found their joys in local liquors made from sugarcanes, awamori bought from Ryukyu, and folk songs sung with sanshin . Their folk songs evolved into

6545-442: Was affected more by Japan. Because of this, the Amami people themselves regard their culture as distinct from that of Okinawa. The Amami people treat the area between Kikai, Amami Ōshima, and Tokuno as part of their own cultural sphere. On the other hand, islanders from Yoron, just 22 km away from Okinawa, have much closer cultural ties to Okinawa. Idiolects spoken in a large part of the Amami Islands are collectively known as

6630-471: Was extremely wary of his powerful nominal retainer Nobunaga, and immediately began plotting against him by forming a wide alliance of nearly every daimyō adjacent to the Oda realm. This included Oda's close ally and brother in-law Azai Nagamasa , the supremely powerful Takeda Shingen , as well as the monk warriors from the Tendai Buddhists monastic center at Mount Hiei near Kyoto (who became

6715-533: Was first settled. Stone tools indicate settlement in the Japanese Paleolithic period, and other artifacts, including pottery, indicate a constant contact with Jōmon , Yayoi and Kofun period Japan. The island is mentioned in the ancient Japanese chronicle Nihon Shoki in an entry for the year 657 AD. During the Nara period and early Heian period it was a stopping place for envoys from Japan to

6800-585: Was incorporated into Ōsumi Province and later became part of Kagoshima Prefecture. Following World War II , along with the other Amami Islands, it was occupied by the United States until 1953, at which time it reverted to the control of Japan. Since February 1974, a 7,861-hectare (19,420-acre) area that includes portions of the island and surrounding sea was protected as the Amami Gunto Quasi-national Park. The area also has

6885-451: Was invaded in 1466. Satsuma Domain of Japan attempted to invade Amami Ōshima in 1493, but Ryukyu defeated them. During the 16th century, there were three rebellions on Amami Ōshima that Ryukyu put down: one in 1536, one in 1537, and one in 1571. This period is called Naha period ( 那覇世 , Nahan'yu ) , after the major port of Ryukyu. Ryukyu's direct control lasted just over 170 years. Trade with Ming dynasty China, which flourished in

6970-483: Was made in 1560 by Imagawa Yoshimoto , whose march towards the capital came to an ignominious end at the hands of Oda Nobunaga in the Battle of Okehazama . In 1562, the Tokugawa clan who was adjacent to the east of Nobunaga's territory became independent of the Imagawa clan , and allied with Nobunaga. The eastern territory of Nobunaga was not invaded by this alliance. He then moved his army west. In 1565, an alliance of

7055-445: Was named heir and Hideyoshi appointed co-guardian. Continued political intrigue, however, eventually led to open confrontation. After defeating Shibata at the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 and enduring a costly but ultimately advantageous stalemate with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute in 1584, Hideyoshi managed to settle the question of succession for once and all, to take complete control of Kyoto, and to become

7140-459: Was set up. The country was unified under a single leader, but daily governance remained decentralized. The basis of power was distribution of territory as measured by rice production, in units of koku . A national survey from 1598 was instituted, with assessments showing the national rice production at 18.5 million koku , 2 million of which was controlled directly by Hideyoshi himself. In contrast, Tokugawa Ieyasu , whom Hideyoshi had transferred to

7225-537: Was to conquer the Ming dynasty of China . In April 1592, after having been refused safe passage through Korea , Hideyoshi sent an army of 200,000 to invade and pass through Korea by force. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) , the Japanese occupied Seoul by May 1592, and within three months of the invasion, the Japanese reached Pyongyang . King Seonjo of Joseon fled, and two Korean princes were captured by Katō Kiyomasa . Seonjo dispatched an emissary to

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