Ezochishimao Kasha (夷千島王遐叉)
Ezochishimao Kasha (or called Ezochishimao Kahi or Ezochishimao Kayu) refers to the name of person who sent an envoy in 1482 to request the Yi Dynasty Korea for Tripitaka Koreana.
"Korea Dynasties Fact Record" mentioned that in April 1482, Kunaikyo (Minister of the Sovereign's Household) sent by Ezochishimao visited Korea along with the envoy sent to Seongjang (King of Korea) by the King of Japan (Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA).
He brought hosho (letter) which started with the phrase of '南閻浮州東海路夷千島王遐叉呈上朝鮮殿下' (Nanenbushu Tokairo Esochishimao Kasha Teijo Chosen Denka: To Royal Highness of Korea from Kasha, King of Ezochishima located on the east sea), and told that about 300 years had passed after the trading with Japan had brought Buddhism to Ezochishimakoku (Ezochishima country) where there had not been Buddhism conventionally, Ezochishima sought Daizo-kyo Sutra (the Tripitaka) because there was no such Sutra also in Japan, and Ezochishima could conquer Orangkai located in the remote region of Korea when Orangkai rebelled against the King of Korea because Ezochishimakoku bordered on Orangkai in the west. It was recorded that 'one bakaku, one nishiki (brocade), one nerinuki (silk fabric), one rose pink twill fabric, 200 kins (unit of weight) of seaweed kelp' were gifted.
Over the identity of Ezochishimao Kasha, in the wake of theory put forward by Kimiaki TAKAHASHI in 1981 that Ezochishimao Kasha was a chief of Ainu tribe, new theories were released actively. At present, a theory by Mineo KAIHO and Iwao ENDO that Ezochishimao Kasha was the Ando clan, a theory by Shosuke MURAI, Kimiaki TAKAHASHI and others that the envoy was fake on the premise of existence of the Ando clan, and a theory by Setsuko OSA that a fake envoy was sent by people of Tsushima Island exist concurrently.