In the early 14th century, the main island of Okinawa was divided among three rival powers — the Northern, Central, and Southern Kingdoms (the Three Kingdoms period). In 1429, Sho Hashi of the Central Kingdom unified the three kingdoms, establishing the First Sho Dynasty with Shuri Castle as the royal capital.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ryukyu Kingdom entered its "Great Trade Era," flourishing as a maritime hub connecting Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The kingdom embodied the ideal of "Bankoku Shinryo" — a bridge between nations.
However, in 1609 the Satsuma Domain (Shimazu clan) invaded and brought Ryukyu under their control. Despite this, the kingdom maintained a dual tributary relationship with both Satsuma and the Qing Dynasty of China, preserving its distinct culture, language, and institutions.
In 1879 (Meiji 12), the Meiji government's "Ryukyu Disposition" dissolved the kingdom and incorporated it into Japan as Okinawa Prefecture, ending nearly 450 years of royal history.
