A painting of a trade ship heading from Nagasaki to Vietnam; from the Gaiban Shokan. This book was prepared as a reference work for 'Gaiban Tsusho'; the compilation of diplomatic documents of the Tokugawa shogunate; prepared by Kondo Seisai (1771 - 1829); who served as the magistrate of Nagasaki and the magistrate of books and records. It contains copies of diplomatic papers; including 33 certificates impressed with the shogun's vermillion seal for officially authorized trips to Annam (Vietnam); the Netherlands; and Luzon (in the Philippines). It was completed in the first year of Bunsei (1818); and the two sets of two-volumes were presented to the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1819.

Shuinsen; or 'Red Seal ships'; were Japanese armed merchant sailing ships bound for Southeast Asian ports with a red-sealed patent issued by the early Tokugawa shogunate in the first half of the 17th century. Between 1600 and 1635; more than 350 Japanese ships went overseas under this permit system. Japanese merchants mainly exported silver; diamonds; copper; swords and other artifacts; and imported Chinese silk as well as some Southeast Asian products (like sugar and deer skins). Pepper and spices were rarely imported into Japan; where people did not eat a great deal of meat due to the local preponderance of adherents to the Buddhist belief system.

Southeast Asian ports provided meeting places for Japanese and Chinese ships. In 1635; the Tokugawa shogunate; fearful of Christian influence; prohibited Japanese nationals from overseas travel; thus ending the period of red-seal trade. This measure was tacitly approved of by Europeans; especially the Dutch East India Company; who saw their competition reduced.