Kingdom of Hokuzan 北山
1314–1416
Map of the Three Kingdoms (Sanzan) of Okinawa, with Hokuzan in yellow.
Capital	Nakijin
Common languages	Kunigami Okinawan
Religion	Ryukyuan religion
Government	Monarchy
King (国王)
• 1322–1395	Haniji
• 1396–1400	Min
• 1401–1416	Hananchi
History
• Established	1314
• Ryukyu unification	1416
• Japanese invasion	5 April 1609
Succeeded by Ryūkyū Kingdom

History of Ryukyu
Periods Palaeolithic pre–10,000BC Early Kaizuka Period 8,000–300 BC Late Kaizuka Period 300 BC–1100AD Gusuku period 1187–1314 Tenson dynasty 16616 BC?– 1186 AD? Shunten dynasty 1187?– 1259? Eiso dynasty 1260?– 1349 Sanzan 1314–1429 Hokuzan 1314?–1416 Chūzan 1314?–1429 Nanzan 1314?–1429 Ryukyu Kingdom 1429–1879 First Shō dynasty 1429–1469 Second Shō dynasty 1469–1879 Satsuma Invasion 1609 Ryukyu Domain 1872–1879 Japanese Annexation 1879 Meiji 1879–1912 Taishō 1912–1926 Pre-World War II 1926–1945 Militarism Battle of Okinawa 1945 U. S. administration 1945–1972 Military Government 1945–1950 Civil Administration 1950–1972 Government 1952–1972 Tokara Reversion 1952 Amami Reversion 1953 Koza riot 1970 Okinawa Reversion Agreement 1971 Okinawa Reversion 1972 Okinawa Prefecture 1972–present Kagoshima Prefecture 1953–present
Topics Missions to Imperial China Missions from Imperial China Missions to Joseon Missions from Joseon Missions to Edo Independence movement
v t e

Hokuzan (北山,Kunigami:Fukuuzan^[1]), also known asSanhoku (山北) before the 18th century, located in the north of Okinawa Island, was one of three independent political entities which controlledOkinawa in the 14th century duringSanzan period. The political entity was identified as a tiny country,^[2][3][4] a kingdom, or a principality by modern historians, however the ruler of Hokuzan was in fact not "kings" at all, but petty lords with their own retainers owing their direct service, and their own estates.

Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire island, split into these three more solidly defined kingdoms within a few years after 1314; theSanzan period thus began, and would end roughly one hundred years later, whenChūzan's KingShō Hashi^{[note 1]} conquered Hokuzan in 1416 andNanzan in 1429.^[5]

After the unification of Ryukyu, Hokuzan became one of three nominalfu (府, lit. "prefectures") of theRyukyu Kingdom without administrative function.

Hokuzan first came into being in 1314 whenTamagusuku inherited the role of head chieftain of all of Okinawa from his fatherEiji. He did not have the charisma or leadership qualities to command the loyalty of all the local lords, and so the Lord ofNakijin, one of many powerful local chieftains, decamped north with a number of lesser chieftains loyal to him and established himself inNakijin Castle. Another powerful chieftain relocated into the south and established the kingdom of Nanzan, leaving Tamagusuku in control only of the central part of the island, which thus became the kingdom of Chūzan.

Though Hokuzan was the largest of the three kingdoms, it was also the poorest and the most sparsely populated. Much of its land was wild, and its few farming or fishing villages were more primitive than those of the other two kingdoms. Nakijin Castle (城gusuku) stood on an outcropping of theMotobu Peninsula, with drops of varying steepness on every side; the ruins which remain today indicate the development of a community of fair size around it, including residences for the king's vassals, and three shrines (拝所uganju) to thenative religion within the castle walls.

In addition to its deficiencies in agriculture and fishing, Hokuzan suffered from the disadvantage, relative to Chūzan, of holding no port to equalNaha (O. Naafa). A smalljunk trade used the inlet below the castle's promontory as a dock, and later Unten harbor. Nevertheless, the northern kingdom engaged in its share of trade with many of the other states in the region, includingJava,Sumatra, and theAyutthaya Kingdom ofSiam. Chūzan entered atributary relationship withMing dynastyChina in 1372, and Hokuzan and Nanzan were granted similar commercial status shortly afterwards.

Over roughly the next thirty years, only nine tribute missions were sent from Hokuzan to China; Nanzan sent nineteen and Chūzan sent fifty-two. Hokuzan also did not send any students to China, as Chūzan did.^{[citation needed]}

Roughly twenty years later, in the 1390s, the kings of all three kingdoms died within a few years, and succession disputes erupted across the island; similar events occurred inNanking at the same time, with the death of theHongwu Emperor in 1398. Previously, China had only ever recognized one head of state on Okinawa, but now all three kingdoms sent envoys and vied for the prestige, wealth, and power that would come with China's favor; no response came from China for eleven years. In 1406,Bunei, King of Chūzan, was formally invested by representatives of the Ming Court in his position; the kings of Hokuzan would never enjoy this privilege.

Despite its economic and political advantages, Hokuzan posed a not insignificant threat to Chūzan, militarily, since its establishment. In the 1410s, however, disputes among the vassals of Hokuzan's king weakened the kingdom, and in 1416, Chūzan found an opportunity to strike after three of those vassals (anji) defected. Following a fierce defense, Nakijin castle fell, and the king and his closest vassals committed suicide.

After the annexation of Sanhoku,Shō Hashi, king of Chūzan, appointed his second sonShō Chū the "Warden of Nakijin Castle, Sanhoku" (山北今帰仁城監守, commonly known as "Warden of Hokuzan" 北山監守) in 1422, a post which would remain for many years, holding little overall power, but serving to maintain order in the north on behalf of the Chūzan court atShuri. The post was abolished by Shō Shitsu in 1665, the last warden was ordered to move to Shuri.

During theRyukyu Kingdom period, Hokuzan was one of three nominalfu (府, lit. "prefectures") of the kingdom without administrative function. At the end of the 17th century, Sanhoku nominally comprised 9magiri (間切): Onna, Kin, Kushi, Nago, Haneji, Motobu, Nakijin, Ōgimi, and Kunigami.

During KingShō Kei's reign, someone suggested that the capital should be moved toNago. It was disapproved by the regentSai On, finally, the capital was remained in Shuri.^[6] Also in the same period, the name "Sanhoku" (山北) was changed into "Hokuzan" (北山).

• Ryukyuan missions to Imperial China
• Ryukyu Kingdom
• Imperial Chinese missions to the Ryukyu Kingdom
• List of monarchs of the Ryukyu Islands

26°41′N127°58′E / 26.683°N 127.967°E /26.683; 127.967

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• States and territories established in 1314
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