Uni-Ufugusuku (鬼大城), or Ufugusuku Kenyu/Ufugushiku Kenyu/Ōshiro Kenyu (大城賢雄 also 大城賢勇) ( fl. 15th century), was a samurai martial arts master and Ryukyuan general who served the

Ryukyu Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...

. "Uni" is an Okinawan cognate of the Japanese "oni," which means

ogre An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world ...

. He received this nickname because he was about tall. He was the personal attendant of King

Shō Taikyū was a king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the sixth ruler of the first Shō dynasty. His reign saw the construction of many Buddhist temples, the casting of the , and the battle between the lords Gosamaru and Amawari. Life and reign Shō Taikyū was ...

's daughter, and lived in

Katsuren Castle is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' in Uruma, Okinawa. In 2000, Katsuren Castle was designated as a World Heritage Site, as a part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. History Katsuren Castle was built on a large hill of ...

when she married the

Aji Aji or AJI may refer to: Location *Aji (town), Tieling County, Liaoning, China *Aji Island, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan *Aji, Kagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan * Aji River (disambiguation), rivers with the same name Other * Aji (Go), a latent tr ...

Amawari {{nihongo, Amawari, 阿麻和利, , extra=d. 1458 was a Ryukyuan Lord (Aji) of Katsuren Castle, known for his ambitions for the throne of the Ryukyu Kingdom and scheme and attack against Gosamaru, Aji of Yomitanzan and Nakagusuku. Life Amawar ...

. During the Aji's infamous grab for power in 1458, Ufugusuku took the King's daughter back to

Shuri Castle was a Ryukyuan ''gusuku'' castle in Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed ...

. He led the Ryūkyūan army to depose Amawari, and personally executed him. He later became Aji of Goeku

Magiri The administrative divisions of the Ryukyu Kingdom were a hierarchy composed of districts, ''magiri'', cities, villages, and islands established by the Ryukyu Kingdom throughout the Ryukyu Islands. Divisions There were three or ''hō'': , , and ...

, residing in

Chibana Castle , also known as was a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' on Okinawa Island. In the Chibana district of Okinawa City, the castle site sits on a hill and is surrounded by jungle."知花城跡." おきなわ物語. Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, n.d. Web. ...

, and married the king's daughter. He was expelled after the

First Shō Dynasty First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

fell and later committed suicide.Uezato, Takashi. ''Ryūkyū Sengoku Rekidan'' (in Japanese). Naha: Border Ink Publishing, 2015. 27-32, 63-67. His tomb is at Chibana Castle, in Chibana,

Okinawa City is the second-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, following Naha, the capital city. It is located in the central part of the island of Okinawa, about north of Naha. As of December 2012, the city has an estimated population of 138,431 a ...

, dug into the hillside next to his wife's tomb. Uni-Ufugusuku Plaque

References

External links

Ryukyu Martial Arts: The Ufugusuku Legacy
{{Authority control People of the Ryukyu Kingdom Aji (Ryukyu) 15th-century Ryukyuan people 1469 deaths