Philippines Sea

The waters beside Okinawa formed part of the maritime world of the Ryukyu Islands. Chuzan's King Satto sent an embassy to Ming China in 1372, beginning a relationship sustained by voyages carrying tribute, envoys and traded goods. Sho Hashi united the island's three kingdoms in 1429. From its political centre at Shuri, the resulting kingdom developed commercial and diplomatic contacts with China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.

These connections made nearby seas essential to the royal court's dealings with larger powers. Maritime exchange also contributed to the distinctive culture expressed in Ryukyu's castles and sacred places. In 1609 Satsuma invaded the kingdom and occupied Shuri Castle. Thereafter the Ryukyuan monarchy continued to maintain its relationship with China while operating under Satsuma and Tokugawa authority. Seaborne diplomacy thus persisted through a major change in political circumstances. Around Okinawa, voyages belonged to overlapping tributary and subordinate relationships, linking the island court to a wider network that could not be represented by a single straightforward frontier.