2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The synthetic research over historical position on the Tokara Islands, as a transition area in the mainland of Japan and the Ryukyu islands
| Project/Area Number |
13410100
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Japanese history
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| Research Institution | University of the Ryukyus |
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Principal Investigator |
TAKARA Kurayoshi University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Law and Letters, professors, 法文学部, 教授 (60264470)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KARIMATA Shigehisa University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Law and Letters, professor, 法文学部, 教授 (50224712)
AKAMINE Masanobu University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Law and Letters, professor, 法文学部, 教授 (40192893)
YAMAZATO Junichi University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Law and Letters, professor, 法文学部, 教授 (50166659)
TOMIYAMA Kazuyuki University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Education, professor, 教育学部, 教授 (40211403)
IKEDA Yoshihumi University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Law and Letters, professor, 法文学部, 教授 (40150627)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | Tokara Islands / Ryukyuan / Toshima village / Nakanosima island / Amami Islands |
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| Research Abstract |
Historically, during the American rule that started at the end of the Second World War and which lasted approximately 5 years, a secret passage and a smuggling route was formed between the island of Yonaguni in the south and Kuchi-no-shima in the north, throughout the Okinawa Islands, Amami Islands, and the Tokara Islands spreading to Kyushu; this proves that the Tokara issue is not confined to pre-modem history, but must be taken into consideration within and as a part of modem history.The investigation on folk customs of Naka-no-shima of the Tokara has revealed that due, to such causes as depopulation and alternation of the local residents, at present no subjects able to report and transmit the old traditions are found, while from research concerning the practice of burying the dead it has become clear that the rapid change ~of local folk customs itself has reached a problematic stage.
A thorough examination of antique maps in possession of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum has revealed a similitude of such maps with the ones found in "Maps of the Ryukyus", a Korean text of the mid-fifteenth century. The compilers of the, original maps are believed to be Kyushu maritime traders, which in the Middle Ages had already formed a network starting from Kyushu, stretching to Tokara, Amami, and reaching the Ryukyus. It has become dear that the Korean transcript reports accurate information obtained on the range of activities of the Kyushu traders.I think that the result of the analyzed maps can constitute a sufficient proposal for further research and reconsideration in the field of Medieval Japanese history.
Eu of argument on the position of the Tokara Islands and relevant issues to be developed in the have been ascertained with the workshop conducted in two sessions as final operation of the present research.
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