This collection gathers all the primary texts, some rare or hitherto unpublished, written on Ryukyu by Western visitors, scholars, and missionaries from the 16th century to the eve of World War II. The first set of five volumes covered the period up to the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1854. This second set covers the period from 1854 onwards. It will be of interest to historians and anthropologists, as well as to everyone who wishes to understand the background of Okinawa's persistent distinctiveness and of its complex relations with Japanese governments.