In the year Bunkah 8 (1811), the “Cultural Envoy from Korea” that visited Japan took the form of “diplomatic gifts for exchange” (易地聘礼), which included the exchange of official documents in Tsushima. From Japan, the shogun's representative, known as “the envoy” (上使), along with a group of shogunate officials, traveled back and forth between Edo and Tsushima, and the various domains along the route were required to provide hospitality to this group. One of the factors contributing to the establishment of the diplomatic gifts for exchange was the “reduction of financial burdens” within the country. The shogunate aimed to alleviate the burden on the domains along the route by receiving the envoys in Tsushima rather than in Edo. It is said that the shogunate’s “policy of simplification and reduction of extravagance” in receiving the envoys yielded practical benefits, but the author believes that the evidence supporting this theory is insufficient and that there is room for examination regarding whether the burden was truly alleviated for the various domains. Additionally, it has been pointed out as an issue in the study of the Korean envoys that there is a lack of perspective from the “supporting side,” such as economic and burden considerations. Therefore, this paper will examine the hospitality and simplification towards the envoys and shogunate officials, using the Hagi domain as a case study based on the aforementioned research issues. While it is not possible to compare the hospitality provided to the envoys before the Bunkah era with that provided to the shogunate officials, it is feasible to investigate whether the “burden on the domain” was alleviated by adopting the perspective of the “supporting side.” Chapter 1 will examine the preparations and actual hospitality provided by the Hagi domain during the passage of the envoys and shogunate officials. Specifically, it will clarify how the Hagi domain determined its hospitality policy based on factors such as the dispatch of domain officials to hospitality locations and the provision of gifts, food, and vessels. In Chapter 2, I examine the simplification of receptions considered by the Hagi Domain in connection with the passage of hawk and horse ships. During the Bunka-era Korean Envoys, the transportation of ceremonial items such as hawks and horses was handled by the Tsushima and Kokura Domains. Compared to the Horeki-era Korean Envoys, historical records show that the Hagi Domain considered simplifying these receptions. Based on these records, I analyze whether such simplifications were actually implemented by the Hagi Domain. In Chapter 3, I explore the background of the simplified receptions provided by the Hagi Domain to senior envoys and shogunate officials. This study highlights how the Hagi Domain, while cooperating with the Hiroshima and Okayama Domains, also interacted with shogunate officials responsible for the Bunka-era Korean Envoys and formulated its reception policies with a focus on simplification. Specifically, I examine what measures were considered and how the receptions were actually carried out. From the above, this study attempts to clarify the receptions conducted by the Hagi Domain for senior envoys and shogunate officials, as well as the policies aimed at simplification and cost reduction. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of understanding the diplomatic missions of the Korean Envoys during this period not as matters confined to Tsushima and Korea but as integral components of national diplomacy.
