琉球往来（上） / Ryukyu correspondence (manual) vol. 1

This is a handwritten, copied record of Ryūkyū ōrai (Ryūkyū Correspondence). It is the first of two volumes and the author is unknown. While there is a book by the same title (consisting of two volumes as well) written by Taichu, it is a different book. It can be put in the same category as the records of Ryukyuans visiting Japan. As for its content, the book contains a record of keigashi, envoys who were sent on diplomatic missions to Edo from Ryukyu to congratulate a new shogun on his succession, and shaonshi, ones to express special gratitude with regards to the enthronement of Ryukyu King. The words琉球来朝先例 (record of Ryukuans visiting Japan) appear in the table of contents for the years 1610, 1634, 1643, 1645, 1649, 1650, and 1654. The text also contains a list of tributes, names of the attendants, and events that occurred, which were communicated in the correspondence between the envoys and shogunal retainers. At the end of volume 2, the text states that the author borrowed a document from the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs transcribed it on July 18, 1874, and has completed reading it, indicating that the book was transcribed around the same time.