Embassy of Joseon in Japan

The first interstate contacts of the Korean Joseon Dynasty with Japan date back to the late 14th century . In 1404, the Koreans entered into official relations with the Shikuns of the Ashikaga clan as the "baths of Japan." Official relations between the two states came down to the exchange of state letters. Since the XVII century , after the failure of the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592-1598 and the ban of the Korean government on the Japanese stay in the country, the Japanese side, represented by the Tokugawa shogunate, ceased to send embassies to Korea. The exchange of letters began during a unilateral visit by Korean delegations to the Tokugawa Shogun’s residence in Edo . In total, between 1607 and 1811, 12 embassies of the Joseon Dynasty visited Japan. The Japanese side considered them all as embassies of goodwill (通信 使), but the Korean side considered the first three missions as embassies in response to the Japanese state letter sent by the shogunate ^[1] , with the aim of returning compatriots exported from Korea during the Japanese conquests (回答 兼 刷还 使). Differences in the parties' understanding of the purpose of the embassies led to the Yanagawa incident, after which the remaining 9 Korean embassies set off as goodwill embassies.

Korean embassies were led by a plenipotentiary ambassador, whose escort was 300-500 people. In addition to diplomats, it included Korean calligraphers, poets, artists, writers, martial artists and other representatives of the Korean cultural elite. The delegation reached Osaka through the Inland Sea of ​​Japan, and from there moved on foot to Edo. The Japanese side took care of all expenses for the maintenance of the Korean envoys, including moving, overnight and meals. Since the arrival of embassies was a matter of prestige for both countries, their reception was carried out on a grand scale. The Japanese spent from 500 thousand to 1 million golden ryos for the entertainment of guests.

Until the 19th century, Korean ambassadors arrived in Edo on the occasion of the appointment of a new shogun. However, the last 12 embassies were postponed due to a great famine and could only go to Japan in 1811. The dispatch of Korean missions was planned in the future, but was not realized due to lack of funds and a foreign policy threat to the Japanese government.

Formally, for the Korean side, the mission of the embassies was cultural and educational. Koreans believed that they brought the light of Confucian Korean culture to wild, uncivilized Japan. In fact, the Korean envoys were engaged in intelligence activities, writing detailed descriptions of the political, social and economic life of the inhabitants of the Japanese islands. Such activity was triggered by Korean concerns about the possibility of a re-invasion. The reports compiled by the Korean ambassadors during their travels by Japan are first-class sources on the social history of Japan in the 17th-19th centuries.

• Year is the year of service of the embassy. Goodwill embassies (通信 使) are marked in dark color.
• Van - van Joseon, on behalf of whom the embassy was sent.
• Ambassador - Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Joseon, Chairman of the Korean delegation in Japan.
• Ruler - Japanese ruler, single-handedly led the whole country.
• Details - the purpose and content of the activities of the Korean embassy.

• " Tsuko Itiran " - a set of records on the entry into the waters of Japan of foreign ships.

Joseon Embassy in Japan // Nipponica Encyclopedia : [ jap. ] = 日本 大 百科全書: 全 26 冊 巻 . - 2 版. - 東京: 小学 館 , 1994-1997.

• (English) Kang, Etsuko Hae-jin. Diplomacy and ideology in Japanese-Korean relations: from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century . - London: Macmillan, 1997.