Hokuzan

Hokuzan was a historical kingdom on Okinawa Island, one of the polities that formed the Ryukyu Kingdom’s pre-unification era. It existed during the Gusuku period, roughly from the late 13th century until the early 15th century, in the northern portion of the island. The center of Hokuzan was Nakijin Castle, which functioned as the political and ceremonial seat of power for the ruling elite.

Politically, Hokuzan operated as a separate kingdom alongside its southern neighbor Chūzan and, later, a third polity in the south known as Nanzan. The region was ruled by local aristocrats called aji, who exercised authority over territories, collected tribute, and managed relations with neighboring polities and with the Chinese and other East Asian communities through Ryukyuan intermediaries. Hokuzan’s rulers maintained diplomatic and economic links with the broader maritime networks that connected Okinawa to China, Korea, and Japan.

Culturally and architecturally, Hokuzan contributed to the distinctive Gusuku-era culture of Okinawa, leaving behind fortified castle sites and other archaeological remnants that reflect a fusion of local traditions with external influences. The kingdom’s governance, religious practices, and social organization are studied through ruins, inscriptions, and material culture recovered from the Nakijin area and related sites.

Hokuzan ceased to exist as an independent entity when the Ryukyu Kingdom was unified under Shō Hashi in the late 1420s to 1430s. Its lands and populations were absorbed into the unified Ryukyu Kingdom, shaping the future political and cultural development of Okinawa. The history of Hokuzan remains an important part of Okinawan regional history and the broader narrative of Ryukyuan unification.