Ryukyu Islands
Historical description of the " Loo-Choo " islands

The islands were described by Hayashi Shihei in Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu, which was published in 1785.

An article in the 1878 edition of the Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information describes the islands:

Loo-Choo, Lu-Tchu, or Lieu-Kieu, a group of thirty-six islands stretching from Japan to Formosa, in 26°–27°40′ N. lat., 126°10′–129°5′ E. long., and tributary to Japan. The largest, Tsju San ('middle island'), is about 60 miles long and 12 broad; others are Sannan in the and Sanbok in the. Nawa, the chief port of Tsju San, is open to foreign commerce. The islands enjoy a magnificent climate and are highly cultivated and very productive. Among the productions are tea, rice, sugar, tobacco, camphor, fruits, and silk. The principal manufactures are cotton, paper, porcelain, and lacquered ware. The people, who are small, seem a link between the Chinese and Japanese.
detectable_content:postscript