Korean Embassy Parade 1682

Hishikawa Moronobu created this woodblock print titled "Korean Embassy Parade" during the Edo period in Japan. The work depicts a procession, offering insights into the socio-political dynamics between Korea and Japan at the time. Such parades served a public function, communicating the status of international relations to the Japanese populace. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The attire, modes of transportation, and arrangement of figures reflect the strict social hierarchies of both cultures. Given Japan's evolving foreign policy during the Edo period, especially concerning its relationship with Korea, prints like this become significant historical documents. It’s worth asking: was this art used to promote a certain political viewpoint? As historians, we consider such prints within their contemporary social and institutional contexts, drawing on diplomatic records, costume studies, and analyses of popular culture to understand them better.