,
[The same ]kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
(親方) are pronounced ''oyakata'' in Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
, in which the term is used in a variety of contexts with meanings roughly corresponding to "master." For example, in sumo
is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
, the term is used to refer to coaches. in the
Okinawan language
The Okinawan language (, , , ) or Central Okinawan, is a Northern Ryukyuan languages, Ryukyuan language spoken primarily in the southern half of the Okinawa Island, island of Okinawa, as well as in the surrounding islands of Kerama Islands, Ker ...
, was the highest rank in the
yukatchu
''Yukatchu'' (), also known as ''Samuree'' (), were the aristocracy of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The scholar-bureaucrats of classical Chinese studies living in Kumemura held the majority of government positions.
Ryukyuan Caste System
The ''Yukatchu'' ...
aristocracy of the former
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...
(modern-day
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
), though it was still below the ''
aji
Aji or AJI may refer to:
Location
*Aji (town), Tieling County, Liaoning, China
*Aji Island, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
*Aji, Kagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
* Aji River (disambiguation), rivers with the same name
Other
* Aji (Go), a latent tr ...
'' nobility. Members of the , a very high-ranking governmental body, were chosen from among the ''ueekata''.
''Ueekata'' rank was generally obtained as the last step in a progression from ''shii'' (子) rank to ''satonushi'' (里之子), then to ''
peekumi
''Yukatchu'' (), also known as ''Samuree'' (), were the aristocracy of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The scholar-bureaucrats of classical Chinese studies living in Kumemura held the majority of government positions.
Ryukyuan Caste System
The ''Yukatchu ...
'' (親雲上), and finally to ''ueekata''. As with other Ryukyuan aristocratic titles, a member would often be referred to by their title, along with an associated placename. For example, royal government official
Tei Dō (1549-1611) is equally well known by the title Jana Ueekata, or "ueekata of Jana," Jana (謝名) being an area (specifically, an ''
azana'') within what is today the city of
Ginowan, Okinawa
( ryu, ジノーン, translit=Jinōn) is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2012, the city has an estimated population of 94,405, with 40,041 households and a population density of 4,838.8 persons per km2. The total area is 19.5 ...
.
Holders of ''ueekata'' rank wore purple ''
hachimachi'' headbands, the color being a symbol of rank.
Notes
{{reflist
References
*"Ueekata." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia")
Ryukyu Shimpo(琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 5 January 2009.
Noble titles
Ryukyu Kingdom
Asian nobility