Okinawa (Oldenmyth)

Okinawa is an island, located centrally in the archipelago known in Sino-Japanese sources as Liukiu or Ryukyu. To the northeast of Okinawa lies Yoron and the rest of the Amami Islands, while far to the southwest is Miyako. The largest settlement is Naba, a port located on the offshore islet of Ukishima, and connected to the main island by a causeway.

Historically divided into several chiefdoms, the island was unified in 1429 by Shō Hashi of Chuzan. Due to its amicable relationship with China, the island became known in Ming records as Greater Liukiu (in comparison with the hostile tribes of "Lesser Liukiu").