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Each mission was led by a civil official, usually of the third rank (in the Korean court hierarchy), and consisted of roughly 350-500 Koreans,<ref>The smallest Korea mission consisted of roughly 300 people. Lillehoj. p102.; Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 44.</ref> and roughly 1500 Japanese escorts from [[Tsushima han]], the [[han|domain]] which managed Japan-Korea relations in this period. From [[1655]] onwards, all of the missions were sent, nominally, to congratulate a new shogun on his succession; unlike was the case with the Ryûkyû Kingdom, Korea did not send missions upon the succession of their own kings in order to request any sort of ritual acknowledgement or recognition of their new king.
Each mission was led by a civil official, usually of the third rank (in the Korean court hierarchy), and consisted of roughly 350-500 Koreans,<ref>The smallest Korea mission consisted of roughly 300 people. Lillehoj. p102.; Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 44.</ref> and roughly 1500 Japanese escorts from [[Tsushima han]], the [[han|domain]] which managed Japan-Korea relations in this period. From [[1655]] onwards, all of the missions were sent, nominally, to congratulate a new shogun on his succession; unlike was the case with the Ryûkyû Kingdom, Korea did not send missions upon the succession of their own kings in order to request any sort of ritual acknowledgement or recognition of their new king.
All but the last mission traveled to Edo, going via Tsushima, through the [[Inland Sea]] to [[Osaka]], and then overland from there; the 1811 mission only journeyed as far as Tsushima. From 1607 until [[1682]], the Koreans were lodged at the temple of [[Honsei-ji]] in the Bakurochô neighborhood of Edo; the temple burned down in the [[Oshichi fire]] of 1682, and from then on Korean embassies stayed at the [[Higashi Honganji (Tokyo)|Higashi Honganji]] in [[Asakusa]].<ref>Toby, Ronald. "Carnival of the Aliens: Korean Embassies in Edo-Period Art and Popular Culture." ''[[Monumenta Nipponica]]'' 41:4 (1986). p428.</ref>
All but the last mission traveled to Edo, going via Tsushima, through the [[Inland Sea]] to [[Osaka]], and then overland from there; the 1811 mission only journeyed as far as Tsushima. The maritime journey through the Inland Sea was accomplished aboard a fleet of vessels, numbering as many as one hundred according to one 1821 painting; for at least a portion of this journey, the fleet was preceded by a ship flying the banners of the [[Murakami clan (Chugoku)|Murakami clan]], who in the [[Sengoku period]] had been the dominant power in these waters. The three lead Korean ambassadors each rode in separate thirty-meter-long vessels with red and gold banners, while smaller ships carried other members of the mission and their luggage.<ref>Martin Dusinberre, ''Hard Times in the Hometown: A History of Community Survival in Modern Japan'', University of Hawaii Press (2012), 23-24.</ref>
At the port of [[Kaminoseki]], near the easternmost reaches of [[Choshu han|Chôshû han]], which might serve as a representative case, most of the houses along the main street, as well as a number of houses along the main street of the neighboring port of Murotsu, were made to house Tsushima or Chôshû officials accompanying the Korean missions.<ref>In 1764, for example, 36 out of the 43 homes along the main street in Kaminoseki each housed at least one official, with some of them housing as many as four or five. Dusinberre, 24-25.</ref>
From 1607 until [[1682]], the Koreans were lodged at the temple of [[Honsei-ji]] in the Bakurochô neighborhood of Edo; the temple burned down in the [[Oshichi fire]] of 1682, and from then on Korean embassies stayed at the [[Higashi Honganji (Tokyo)|Higashi Honganji]] in [[Asakusa]].<ref>Toby, Ronald. "Carnival of the Aliens: Korean Embassies in Edo-Period Art and Popular Culture." ''[[Monumenta Nipponica]]'' 41:4 (1986). p428.</ref>
The lead envoy (''seishi'') on such missions wore a robe decorated with ''[[kirin]]''. Formal letters from the King of Korea were carried in a special chest, by a number of Korean officials; this was in contrast to the Ryukyuan embassies to Edo, in which a secretary (''shokanshi'') carried formal letters on his person. Even the open-sided palanquin of the lead envoy himself (making him more visible for onlookers)<ref>Toby, 433.</ref> was carried by Japanese porters, showing the great esteem accorded these communiques. The streets were prepared ahead of time by having the streets swept, and water sprinkled to settle the dust. During the procession, men with long bamboo poles helped push the crowds out of the way, to make room for the procession to pass down the road. While many paradegoers simply stood or sat on the side of the road, others set up viewing booths, complete with [[tatami]] and sliding screen (''[[fusuma]]'') paintings.
The lead envoy (''seishi'') on such missions wore a robe decorated with ''[[kirin]]''. Formal letters from the King of Korea were carried in a special chest, by a number of Korean officials; this was in contrast to the Ryukyuan embassies to Edo, in which a secretary (''shokanshi'') carried formal letters on his person. Even the open-sided palanquin of the lead envoy himself (making him more visible for onlookers)<ref>Toby, 433.</ref> was carried by Japanese porters, showing the great esteem accorded these communiques. The streets were prepared ahead of time by having the streets swept, and water sprinkled to settle the dust. During the procession, men with long bamboo poles helped push the crowds out of the way, to make room for the procession to pass down the road. While many paradegoers simply stood or sat on the side of the road, others set up viewing booths, complete with [[tatami]] and sliding screen (''[[fusuma]]'') paintings.
*1655 - The mission, led by [[Cho Hyong]] and consisting of 488 members, travels to Edo, and to Nikkô, where they present a number of lanterns for the mausoleum of [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]]; this is the last time a Korean embassy visits Nikkô.
*1655 - The mission, led by [[Cho Hyong]] and consisting of 488 members, travels to Edo, and to Nikkô, where they present a number of lanterns for the mausoleum of [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]]; this is the last time a Korean embassy visits Nikkô.
*1682 - A mission travels to Edo.
*1682 - A mission travels to Edo.
*1711 - A mission travels to Edo. It consists of 569 Koreans, plus whatever number of Tsushima officials, porters, etc.<ref>Martin Dusinberre, ''Hard Times in the Hometown: A History of Community Survival in Modern Japan'', University of Hawaii Press (2012), 23.</ref>
*1711 - A mission travels to Edo. It consists of 569 Koreans, plus whatever number of Tsushima officials, porters, etc.<ref>Dusinberre, 23.</ref>
*1719 - A mission travels to Edo, staying at [[Honno-ji|Honnô-ji]] in Kyoto for one night on their way, and several more nights on their way back.
*1719 - A mission travels to Edo, staying at [[Honno-ji|Honnô-ji]] in Kyoto for one night on their way, and several more nights on their way back.
*1748 - A mission travels to Edo.
*1748 - A mission travels to Edo.
