Names of Ryukyu
Okay, let's pretend we're going on a journey to a faraway land called the Ryukyu Islands, which are a group of islands in Japan. Now, just like how we each have our own name, places also have their own names.
The Ryukyu Islands used to be an independent kingdom, which means they had their own government, culture, and language. The different names for Ryukyu depend on who you ask and which time period you look at!
In the past, the Ryukyu Islands were also called the "Liuqiu," "Nansei Islands," or "Ryukyu Kingdom." Nowadays, the Ryukyu Islands are divided into three prefectures owned by Japan--Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Kumamoto--which is why some people just refer to the islands as "Okinawa."
So, depending on who you talk to and what time period we look at, the Ryukyu Islands might be called the Liuqiu, Nansei Islands, Ryukyu Kingdom, or just Okinawa!
The Ryukyu Islands used to be an independent kingdom, which means they had their own government, culture, and language. The different names for Ryukyu depend on who you ask and which time period you look at!
In the past, the Ryukyu Islands were also called the "Liuqiu," "Nansei Islands," or "Ryukyu Kingdom." Nowadays, the Ryukyu Islands are divided into three prefectures owned by Japan--Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Kumamoto--which is why some people just refer to the islands as "Okinawa."
So, depending on who you talk to and what time period we look at, the Ryukyu Islands might be called the Liuqiu, Nansei Islands, Ryukyu Kingdom, or just Okinawa!