Amami Ōshima

Amami Ōshima rises from subtropical seas between Kyūshū and Okinawa, its wooded mountains broken by deep bays. The island was part of the Ryūkyū sphere before Satsuma invaded in 1609 and took control of the Amami Islands. Sugarcane became an important source of revenue for the domain. In 1830 Satsuma began buying up the islands' brown sugar, compelling farmers to increase production and adding to their hardship.