Lina Terrell is a translator of Japanese historical texts. Today we are going to talk about her recently released translation of The Legacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom: An Okinawan History (JPIC, 2025) by Takara Kurayoshi. Before Okinawa, the unified and independent Ryukyu Kingdom existed for 400 years. What was this island nation like and what kind of world did it exist in? Author and Okinawa native, Takara Kurayoshi plumbs the depths of Okinawa’s distant and obscure past.

Show Notes:

Amy and Lina discuss the Ryukyu Kingdom before it became a part of Japan. Among topics they address are noro priestesses, sea pirates, and trade with China.

Lina’s favorite books on Japan are:

The Roads to Sata: A 2000-Mile Walk Through Japan by Alan Booth

The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan by Ivan Morris