[Image1][History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island]■ vol 3
[Image2][History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island]■ vol 3
[Image3][History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island]■ vol 3
[Image4][History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island]■ vol 3

[History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island]

■ vol 3 "Reverse Field" Sakata
Born into a family of farmers, Machigani was a hard worker from an early age and worked very agriculture such as rice cultivation. One year, the island was hit by a drought, and while the water in the rice fields on the island dried up, only the rice paddies of Machigani were full of water. According to one theory, the girls of the island, who were fond of the hard-working and good-natured Machigani, brought water to his rice fields every night. However, in reality, his rice fields were terraced, and the upper part of the rice field was overflowing with spring water, and the water continued to flow to the lower rice paddies, so the water never dried up. The rice fields of the other young men were large in area, but they were not blessed with water and relied on the gods, but the rice fields of Matsugane were small in area but blessed with water and rice ears. This shows that he was very intelligent. However, the young people on the island, who were usually jealous of Matsukin's popularity, accused him of being a water thief, saying, "The reason why the water does not dry up is because Matsukin is stealing from other rice paddies," and even tried to get rid of him. This is the "certain misunderstanding" described in vol. 2. Fearing for his life, Shogane decides to leave the island.

This reverse rice field has been left almost in its original form, and even today it is constantly gushing out of water, and is now managed by the village board of education, where the island children's association experiences rice planting and harvesting every year. (Corona has been canceled)

In this place, a poem written by the daughters of the Mido (Miyarabi) = island at that time in memory of Matsugane, who left the island, is left on the monument, and it can be read from this song monument that Matsugane was thought of by the daughters of the island.

[Contents of the song monument]
"I would have liked to see more of Machigani working in a short robe."
It is a poem that expresses the love that the maidens of the island have for Shogane and the loneliness that he is gone. 

* Machigani (Machigani) = The name of King Shoen's youth when he was on Izena Island.
* Kanamaru (Kanamaru) = The name of King Shoen after he left the island.
* Shoen = The name of the king.
※美童 (みやらび) = daughter, woman

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Nov. 28, 2023
[History and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Kingdom period of Izena Island] ■ vol 2 "Shoen-o Oniwa Park" The story of how he became the king of the Ryukyus from a farmer At the age of 24, Shokin (later King Shoen) left the island. Pointing to the main island of Okinawa, he holds an "eke" (the dialect for oars) in his right hand, and a bronze statue of him standing at that time is erected. Shogane is misunderstood by the islanders and is driven out of the island. Accompanied by his then-wife and young brother, he crossed the sea in a small boat and arrived at a district called Ginama in the Kunigami district in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. There, he lives with his brother and his wife for a while, and is taken care of by the locals, but after a while, he goes to Shuri with his brother. He became a servant of Prince Yurai, the younger brother of the 5th King of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Sho Jinfuku. At that time, he began to call himself "Kanamaru". Kanemaru, who was naturally intelligent and industrious, was soon recognized for his qualities, and Prince Koshirai strongly recommended Kanemaru to King Shokin Fuku as his servant, and in 1447 Shoen began his career as an official with the low-ranking position of retainer Akato. Here, Kanemaru demonstrated his abilities and rose through the ranks to the point of wearing a yellow hachimaki, which signified the status of a high-ranking official. Then, in 1454, when Prince Koshirai ascended the throne as the 6th king, Sho Yasuhisa, he was even more important, and in 1454 he was appointed as the head of the land (lord) of Nishihara Makiri. Five years later, at the age of 45, he was appointed to the position of in charge of the country's finances and foreign affairs, and as a result, he was on the verge of the post of three commanders, which is equivalent to the ministerial class today, but his fate changed with the death of King Sho Yasuhisa. The 7th king, Shotoku, was a tyrant, and the whole country was grieving, and Kanemaru, who could not see it, did not listen to his opinion, so Kanemaru resigned his post and withdrew to the inner part of the domain. After the death of King Shotoku, a coup d'état by his vassals occurred in the royal palace, and King Shotoku's son was disposed of. The reign of the first Sho clan was interrupted here, and the vassals recommended Kanemaru to be the next king, and eventually accepted the persuasion, and at the age of 54, Kanemaru became the king of the second Sho clan of the Ryukyu Kingdom. ■Statue production: Mutsutoshi Naka (Japan plate printmaker)       Kurayoshi Takara (Professor Emeritus, University of the Ryukyus)      * Both are famous people from Izena Island. * Matsugani (Machigani) = The name of King Shoen's youth when he was on Izena Island. * Kanamaru (Kanamaru) = The name of King Shoen after he left the island. * Shoen = The name of the king.