also: あんじ · あんず
noun
Ryukyuan chieftain; local lord of the Ryukyu Kingdom
Historical title for regional rulers in the Ryukyu Islands before and during the Ryukyu Kingdom period. Equivalent to a feudal lord or clan chief.
按司は琉球王国の地方を治めていた。
The aji governed a region of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
この城跡は昔、按司の居城だったと言われている。
These castle ruins are said to have been the residence of an aji long ago.
Rare alternate reading; may appear in historical documents.
大名 is a mainland Japanese feudal lord, while 按司 is specific to the Ryukyu Kingdom and carries a distinct cultural and historical context.
The exact origin is uncertain, but the term is deeply rooted in Ryukyuan history and language. The kanji 按司 are used phonetically to represent the native title.