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The earliest instance in records extant today of such a ship arriving in Satsuma appears in a record for the 8th month of [[1481]], but it is believed that Ryûkyû sent ''ayabune'' missions to Satsuma earlier than that. ''Ayabune'' may have also carried Ryukyuan missions to the [[Muromachi shogunate]].<ref name=kuro>Kuroshima Satoru 黒島敏, ''Ryûkyû ôkoku to Sengoku daimyô'' 琉球王国と戦国大名, Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2016), 22.</ref>  

The earliest instance in records extant today of such a ship arriving in Satsuma appears in a record for the 8th month of [[1481]], but it is believed that Ryûkyû sent ''ayabune'' missions to Satsuma earlier than that. ''Ayabune'' may have also carried Ryukyuan missions to the [[Muromachi shogunate]].<ref name=kuro>Kuroshima Satoru 黒島敏, ''Ryûkyû ôkoku to Sengoku daimyô'' 琉球王国と戦国大名, Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2016), 22.</ref>  

Ryukyuan sources indicate that ''ayabune'' were sent twice during the reign of King [[Sho Sei|Shô Sei]], three times during the reign of King [[Sho Ei|Shô Ei]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1587]]), and four times during the reign of King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] (r. [[1587]]-[[1621]]). However, while such missions were sent on a variety of ceremonial occasions, they were typically not dispatched in recognition or celebration of Shimazu succession.<ref name=kuro/>

Ryukyuan sources indicate that ''ayabune'' were sent twice during the reign of King [[Sho Sei (尚清)|Shô Sei]], three times during the reign of King [[Sho Ei|Shô Ei]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1587]]), and four times during the reign of King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] (r. [[1587]]-[[1621]]). However, while such missions were sent on a variety of ceremonial occasions, they were typically not dispatched in recognition or celebration of Shimazu succession.<ref name=kuro/>

Shimazu documents emphasize that the ''ayabune'' stopped coming for a time in the late 16th century. [[Shimazu Takahisa]] died in [[1566]] and was succeeded as head of the family by [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]]; but according to Shimazu accounts, when the Shimazu informed Ryûkyû of this development in [[1570]], there was no response. Another mission was dispatched only three years later, but, even so, Ryûkyû is said to have become hesitant to send missions around this time, feeling that the threat of [[wako|piracy]] had grown stronger.<ref>Kuroshima, 23.</ref> When missions did resume in [[1573]], the [[Sanshikan]] are said to have showed contempt, or insulted, the members of the embassy. This was termed the "''ayabune'' failure of courtesy incident" (''ayabune ketsurei jiken''), and was cited among the pretexts for the Shimazu invasion of Ryûkyû in 1609. A mission did travel to Kagoshima aboard an ''ayabune'' in [[1575]]/3, however, led by a Ryukyuan official called Kin ''ôyako'', and a [[Tenkai-ji]] monk called Nanshuku<!--天界寺南叔-->.<ref>[[Uwai Satokane]], [[Shiryohensanjo|Shiryôhensanjô]] (eds.), ''Uwai Kakken nikki'' 上井覚兼日記, in ''Dai Nihon kokiroku'' 大日本古記録, part 5, vol 1, University of Tokyo (1954), 109-110.</ref>

Shimazu documents emphasize that the ''ayabune'' stopped coming for a time in the late 16th century. [[Shimazu Takahisa]] died in [[1566]] and was succeeded as head of the family by [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]]; but according to Shimazu accounts, when the Shimazu informed Ryûkyû of this development in [[1570]], there was no response. Another mission was dispatched only three years later, but, even so, Ryûkyû is said to have become hesitant to send missions around this time, feeling that the threat of [[wako|piracy]] had grown stronger.<ref>Kuroshima, 23.</ref> When missions did resume in [[1573]], the [[Sanshikan]] are said to have showed contempt, or insulted, the members of the embassy. This was termed the "''ayabune'' failure of courtesy incident" (''ayabune ketsurei jiken''), and was cited among the pretexts for the Shimazu invasion of Ryûkyû in 1609. A mission did travel to Kagoshima aboard an ''ayabune'' in [[1575]]/3, however, led by a Ryukyuan official called Kin ''ôyako'', and a [[Tenkai-ji]] monk called Nanshuku<!--天界寺南叔-->.<ref>[[Uwai Satokane]], [[Shiryohensanjo|Shiryôhensanjô]] (eds.), ''Uwai Kakken nikki'' 上井覚兼日記, in ''Dai Nihon kokiroku'' 大日本古記録, part 5, vol 1, University of Tokyo (1954), 109-110.</ref>