As a description of the Emishi written by someone who lived during the same period in which they were present, a dialogue between a Kento-shi (Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China) and Gao Zong (Tang Dynasty) held in 659 is found in "Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan)."
蝦夷の生活を同時代人が正面から語った説明としては、659年（斉明天皇5年）の遣唐使と唐(王朝)の高宗(唐)の問答が日本書紀にある。