The Imperial Japanese embassies to China reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)
Imperial Japanese embassies to China were missions to China for importing the technologies and culture of China to Japan. The Imperial embassy to Tang China (遣唐使; Kento-shi) is the best known; it ended in 894. There was also a lesser-known Imperial embassy to Sui China (遣隋使; Kendui-shi) in 607.