| 1605（Shō Nei 17） |
Noguni Sōkan brings back sweet potatoes from Fujian Province |
| 1606（Shō Nei 18） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Xia Ziyang and vice-chief envoy Wang Shizhen are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Nei. Xia Ziyang and Wang Shizhen co-author a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Shi Ryukyu-roku (Chinese: Shi Liu-ch’iu lu).” It is written that there were markets in Shuri and Naha, and women were doing the selling. It is also written that only vegetables, grains, fish, and salt were being sold, and that when women carry goods to the market, they put them (in a basket) and can carry the basket on their heads, not dropping it without using their hands. |
| 1609（Shō Nei 21） |
Shimazu clan invades the Ryukyus. |
| 1611（Shō Nei 23） |
Kian appointed imperial tea master. |
| 1623（Shō Hō 3） |
Gima Shinjō introduces a sugar production technique called two-roller three-pot method, leading to increased production volume. |
| 1627（Shō Hō 7） |
Kin Chōtei (Prince Kin) is dispatched to Satsuma as a congratulatory envoy on the occasion of the promotion of Shimazu Iehisa to the rank of Chūnagon (a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan). He brings back tea seeds and starts tea cultivation in Kanna Village in Kin Majiri (district). It should be noted that tea drinking was already a custom in the Ryukyus since the past. |
| 1631（Shō Hō 11） |
The Satsuma Domain sets up a zaiban bugyōsho (magistrate’s office) in Naha. It led to actively introducing Yamato-style cuisine and culture for entertaining feudal retainers of the Satsuma Domain. |
| 1633（Shō Hō 13） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Du Sance and vice-chief envoy Yang Lun are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Hō. |
| 1634（Shō Hō 14） |
Congratulatory envoy dispatched to Edo Shogunate for the first time. On this occasion, the envoy follows Shimazu Iehisa’s instructions and has an audience with Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in Kyoto. Subsequently, the envoy has an audience in Edo on the occasion of a shogunate succession and enthronement of the new Ryukyu King (beginning of Edo nobori). The dispatch of Ryukyuan missions to Edo helped ingest various aspects of Yamato culture including cooking. |
| 1645（Shō Ken 5） |
As debts to the Satsuma Domain exceed 40,000 ryō (ryō = a gold currency unit in pre-Meiji Japan), sugar cane and turmeric are widely cultivated as a measure for repayment of the debts. |
| 1646（Shō Ken 6） |
Brown sugar and turmeric exported to the Satsuma Domain for the first time. |
| 1646（Shō Ken 7） |
Shuri royal government places brown sugar and turmeric under a monopoly system. |
| 1663（Shō Shitsu 16） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Zhang Xueli and vice-chief envoy Wang Gai are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Shitsu. Zhang Xueli writes a record of his stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Shi Ryukyu-ki (Record of Mission to Ryukyu)” and another book titled “Chūzan Kiryaku (Brief Account of Chūzan).” It is written that rice and wheat are produced in the Ryukyus, but they are given to the royal government and the common people are eating potato. It is also written that the food at banquets is simple, and guests and husbands sit freely without distinction between east and west, and tobacco, drinks, and tea are served. In addition, it is written that in the open space in front of the envoys’ lodging (Tenshikan), women carrying baskets open a market in the afternoon. |
| 1666（Shō Shitsu 19） |
Haneji Chōshū becomes a sessei (prime minister) and implements political reform. A collection of documents pertaining to his works is known as “Haneji Shioki (The Directives of Haneji).” Encouraging even samurai-class members to acquire skills in various arts such as ikebana, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, and cooking, etc. was also one of the items in the collection of the directives. |
| 1683（Shō Tei 15） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Wang Ji and vice-chief envoy Lin Linchang are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Tei. Wang Ji writes a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Shi Ryukyu-roku (Chinese: Shi Liu-ch’iu lu).” It is written that there were markets called horse market streets in Shuri and Naha, and that women were selling goods there. The things they sold were oil, salt, salted fish guts, vegetables and tofu, and potatoes. It is also written that miso-pickled melons were presented to the envoys and that these melons were winter melons. In addition, it is written that sugar candy and kippan (flattened sugared tangerines), and that kelp dishes were served at drinking parties. |
| 1st year of Shō Kei (1713) |
“Ryukyu-koku yurai-ki” (first official chorography of the Ryukyu Kingdom) is compiled. Recorded in this document are the organization of the royal government in (Uryōriza / Ōdaijo), occupation system (sadō, ohōchō), description of rituals, and the origins of animals/plants and food. |
| 1719（Shō Kei 7） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Hai Bao and vice-chief envoy Xu Baoguang are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Kei. Xu Baoguang writes a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Chūzan denshin roku.” His record covers the widest area among records left by Chinese investiture envoys. With detailed commentaries on livestock, vegetables, fruits, fish, and customs, it is a first-class historical material to understand the situation of the Ryukyus at the time. |
| 1731（Shō Kei 19） |
“Ryukyu-koku kyū-ki,” a kanbun (a form of Classical Chinese as used in Japan) translation of “Ryukyu-koku yurai-ki” (the first official chorography of the Ryukyu Kingdom) is compiled. |
| 1800（Shō On 6） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Zhao Wenkai and vice-chief envoy Li Dingyuan are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō On. Li Dingyuan writes a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Shi Ryukyu-ki (Record of Mission to Ryukyu).” This is the only historical material written in diary form among records left by Chinese investiture envoys. There are comments on dishes and ingredients presented by the Ryukyuan side in daily descriptions. A variety of food ingredients are introduced such as erabu black-banded sea kraits, dugongs, spiny lobsters, green turbans, and bananas. In addition, the miso-pickled winter melons and watermelons are introduced as food offered only to the envoys. |
| 1808（Shō Kō 5） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Qikun and vice-chief envoy Fei Xizhang are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Kō. Qikun and Fei Xizhang co-author a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Zoku Ryukyu-koku shiryaku (Continuation of a Brief History of the Ryukyu Kingdom).” There is a historical document titled “Ryukyu Sappōshi ikken,” which is a record of the entertainment that these envoys received. It is a valuable historical material where the details of the ukansen ryōri (cuisine for the Chinese investiture envoys) are recorded. |
| 1832（Shō Kō 29） |
Tokashiki Tsūkan writes a book titled “Gyozen honzō (Edible Plants of the Ryukyus).” It describes combinations of food ingredients and the effects of the ingredients. |
| 1853（Shō Tai 14） |
Commodore Perry visits the Ryukyus. He is entertained at Shurijō Castle Hokuden and Ufumiudun. |
| 1866（Shō Tai 19） |
Chinese chief investiture envoy Zhao Xin and vice-chief envoy Yu Guangjia are dispatched to bestow peerage to Shō Tai. Zhao Xin writes a record of their stay in the Ryukyus in a book titled “Zoku Ryukyu-koku shiryaku (Continuation of a Brief History of the Ryukyu Kingdom).” |
| 1870（Shō Tai 23） |
The Shuri royal government dispatches Ie Chōchoku (Prince Ie) to Izena Island to instruct the implementation of the shiimii ritual in the same style as conducted at the Tamaudun in Shuri. Since this ritual was held in August when the shiimii season had already passed, it was conducted as an “ohatsu matsuri (first festival).” Manuals related to cooking and garnishing food to be used in the shiimii ritual were created. Descriptions of the utensils and dishes to be used in the rituals are written in these historical documents.
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| 1872（Shō Tai 25） |
Ryukyu Domain established. |
| 1875（Shō Tai 28） |
Matsuda Michiyuki is sent to the Ryukyus as an official for the annexation of the Ryukyus. He notifies discontinuation of dispatching congratulatory missions to the Qing court and ending relations with the Qing based on sakuhō (Chinese vassal system) and chokō (tributary system). |
