Red seal ships were large Japanese trading vessels licensed by the shogunate for officially sanctioned overseas trade in the early 17th century, often built with hybrid Japanese-Chinese-European design features and crewed in part by sailors with earlier wokou piracy connections before Japan’s maritime trade restrictions tightened.
Quick Facts
| Ship Class | Merchant/Armed Trader |
|---|---|
| Era Used | early 17th century, 1600s-1635 |
| Typical Crew | 200+ |
| Guns / Cannons | defensive armament |
| Speed / Handling | Moderate, large hybrid-hulled trading ship |
| Notable Use | Operated under officially licensed trade permits, some crewed by former wokou-linked sailors |
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