Editing Okinawan language (section)

===Ryukyu Kingdom era===
====Pre-Satsuma====
{{transliteration|ja|[[Hiragana]]}} was a much more popular writing system than [[kanji]]; thus, Okinawan poems were commonly written solely in {{transliteration|ja|hiragana}} or with little kanji. Okinawan became the official language under King [[Shō Shin]]. The [[Omoro Sōshi]], a compilation of ancient Ryukyuan poems, was written in an early form of Okinawan, known as Old Okinawan.

====Post-Satsuma to annexation====
After Ryukyu became a vassal of [[Satsuma Domain]], kanji gained more prominence in poetry; however, official Ryukyuan documents were written in [[Classical Chinese]]. During this time, the language gradually evolved into Modern Okinawan.

In 1609, the Ryukyu Kingdom [[Invasion of Ryukyu|was colonized]] by the Satsuma Domain in the south of Japan. However, Satsuma did not fully invade the Ryukyu in fear of colliding with China, which had a stronger trading relationship with the Ryukyu at the time.<ref name=":0" />