Sho Ten
Encyclopedia
was the last crown prince
of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
. He lost that title upon the abolition of the kingdom and the abdication of the king, his father, Shō Tai
, in 1879, and later succeeded to the title of in the kazoku
peerage following his father's death in 1901.
In March 1879, his father Shō Tai formally abdicated upon the orders of the Meiji government, which abolished the kingdom, transforming Ryūkyū domain into Okinawa Prefecture
, with officials appointed from Tokyo
to administer the islands The former king was ordered to report to Tokyo, but feigning illness, he temporarily found shelter at Shō Ten’s palace. Shō Ten was sent to Tokyo as a hostage and partial appeasement as Ryūkyūan officials searched for ways to delay the former king’s departure.
Following his father's death and his succession as Marquis and head of the Shō family in 1901, Shō Ten and his family gave up the trappings of traditional Ryūkyūan royal court life, costume, court language, and ritual, and adopted those of the Japanese peerage.
As Marquis, Shō Ten held a hereditary seat in the House of Peers in the National Diet
. He was joined in representing Okinawa by a Japanese resident appointed to represent the prefecture's wealthiest taxpayers for the first time in 1918.
The Marquis died on September 20, 1920 in his mansion in Shuri and was entombed six days later in Tamaudun
, the royal mausoleum near Shuri Castle
, in accordance with traditional Ryūkyūan royal funerary rites. He would be the last member of the Shō family to be honored in such a manner. The family head was succeeded by his eldest Shō Shō (尚昌), then to Hiroshi Shō
.
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
. He lost that title upon the abolition of the kingdom and the abdication of the king, his father, Shō Tai
Sho Tai
was the last king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom . His reign saw greatly increased interactions with travelers from abroad, particularly from Europe and the United States, as well as the eventual end of the kingdom and its annexation by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture.In 1879, the deposed king was forced to...
, in 1879, and later succeeded to the title of in the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage following his father's death in 1901.
Biography
Shō Ten was born in Shuri and was from birth crown prince to the Ryūkyū Kingdom. He underwent his coming of age ceremony in 1878 and was married the same year.In March 1879, his father Shō Tai formally abdicated upon the orders of the Meiji government, which abolished the kingdom, transforming Ryūkyū domain into Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, with officials appointed from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to administer the islands The former king was ordered to report to Tokyo, but feigning illness, he temporarily found shelter at Shō Ten’s palace. Shō Ten was sent to Tokyo as a hostage and partial appeasement as Ryūkyūan officials searched for ways to delay the former king’s departure.
Following his father's death and his succession as Marquis and head of the Shō family in 1901, Shō Ten and his family gave up the trappings of traditional Ryūkyūan royal court life, costume, court language, and ritual, and adopted those of the Japanese peerage.
As Marquis, Shō Ten held a hereditary seat in the House of Peers in the National Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. He was joined in representing Okinawa by a Japanese resident appointed to represent the prefecture's wealthiest taxpayers for the first time in 1918.
The Marquis died on September 20, 1920 in his mansion in Shuri and was entombed six days later in Tamaudun
Tamaudun
is a mausoleum in Shuri, Okinawa, built for Ryūkyūan royalty in 1501 by King Shō Shin, the third king of the second Shō dynasty a short distance from Shuri Castle....
, the royal mausoleum near Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle is a gusuku in Shuri, Okinawa. It was the palace of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed...
, in accordance with traditional Ryūkyūan royal funerary rites. He would be the last member of the Shō family to be honored in such a manner. The family head was succeeded by his eldest Shō Shō (尚昌), then to Hiroshi Shō
Hiroshi Sho
' was the head of the Shō family, the Okinawan former royal family. He was the great-grandson of Shō Tai, the last king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, and was the last member of the family to hold the title of...
.