The modern European matchlock, or teppo, arrived in Japan in 1543, when a Portuguese ship was blown off course and landed at the island of Tanegashima (the firearm was also known as Tanegashima, named after the island). The local daimyo, Tanegashima Tokitaka, bought two and put a swordmaker to work. From these humble beginnings, the teppo became one of the dominant features of Japanese battlefields: by 1575 at the Battle of Nagashino, 3,000 gunners firing volleys of 1000 shots at a time destroyed the cavalary of the heretofore very successful Takeda clan. By the time of the Japanese invasion of Korea in the Imjin War (1592-1596), a quarter of the 160,000 troops were gunners.
The last event at every Kobudo Kyokai Taikai is an example of the art of Hōjutsu, or gunnery. This year's demonstrating art was Morishige-Ryu.
Getting the floor protected:
I have zero interest in weaponry, but I am interested in history and love historical fiction. Currently reading Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, and have learned some tidbits about the development of muskets and rifles. So your history on this perked my interest. I never would have thought gunnery was a traditional Japanese skill, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteMuch shooting done TB cause I was wondering about the gunsmoke indoors in that arena. Noticed a few gray hairs among the gunners also.....:)
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