Japanese Tanegashima Musketry
According to the official Japanese history, the musket guns were brought by the Portuguese to Japan on August 15, 1543. Japanese historians variously claim that the musket gun was introduced in the years 1501, 1511, 1531, 1539, 1541, or 1542. However, I would like to use the same date and year of the musket gun introduction as most of the Japanese history books do. Historically, the very first time that the ancient Japanese people witnessed the use of the musket guns was the 11th year of the Bunmei Era (1274). The musket guns were used then by the Mongolians when they invaded Japan the first time. Incidentally, the second invasion took place in 1278.
Here is the translation of the historical account on the introduction of the musket gun to Japan. In August, 1543, a big black ship arrived near Tanegashima Island, off the coast of Kyushu (27 miles from Cape Sata), in Japan. Approximately 100 passengers were on board. The Japanese tried to determine who these people were. There was a Chinese scholar among them, who could communicate with the Village Chief, Shou Shikibu in Nishimura, by using Kanji (Japanese character), since the Kanji originally came from China approximately in the 3rd Century. Although the grammar of Japanese and Chinese are different, approximately 80% of Japanese characters and Chinese characters share the exact meaning and connotation in writing. Also, two Portuguese were among them (known as Murashikusa and Kirishita-Mouta, possibly given names by Japanese). When they were brought in front of the Governor Tokitaka Tanegashima, both Portuguese were standing. This act made Tokitaka unhappy. According to the Japanese manner (Sahou), we must sit in front of the superiors and elders when we have a meeting or discussion. The two Portuguese were made to sit after communicating through the Chinese interpreter.
Tokitaka noticed that the two Portuguese were holding a 3-foot long tubular-shaped, queer-looking object in their arms. Tokitaka was curious enough to ask them what it was. They explained that this tubular-gun could shoot down the flying bird in the air. After having the Portuguese demonstrate how to shoot the Musket gun, Tokitaka decided to purchase 2 Musket guns from the Portuguese, although the price of these Musket guns was sky-high. At that time, the actual cost of the Musket gun was more or less 80 Ryou ( Japanese currency ), however, they demanded 1,000 Ryou. It was Governor Tokitaka Tanegashima who could foresee the Japanese weaponry’s future that would changed with this “ Queer-looking Iron tube, which makes thunder-like noise “. Tokitaka practiced shooting Musket guns every day until the gun powder ran out. He realized no Musket gun can be fired without gun powder. Therefore, he sent one of his retainers ( Koshiro Sasakawa ) to the 2 Portuguese to learn how to produce & use gun powder. Koshiro Sasakawa is credited with being the Grandmaster of the Tanegashima musket school of weaponry. Tokitaka also ordered his swordsmith ( Kiyosada Yakita )to replicate these interesting weapons. Forging a Musket barrel was a simple blacksmith task by any Japanese swordsmith at that time, however, cutting the thread of the breech plug was totally unknown in Japan. Japanese had no knowledge of a simple screw which had a spiral thread. Kiyosada learned a lesson from another Portuguese who arrived on Tanegashima Island in 1544.
Tokitaka re-named this musket gun as the Tanegashima, which were both his surname & where he resided. A Negoro Temple priest, Suginobou, traveled over 400 miles to visit Tanegashima Island to study how to use the Tanegashima. He is credited with spreading the existence & knowledge of the Tanegashima throughout Japan. Matasaburou Tachibana, a merchant from Sakai City, also visited Tanegashima Island to study the basic mechanism and design of the Tanegashima. He mastered the usage and construction of the Tanegashima as well after extending his stay on Tanegashima Island. In fact, Matasaburou stayed in the Tanegashima Island nearly 3 years. When he returned to the Osaka area, he taught the Kunitomo villagers to produce the newly designed Tanegashima. Then, the domestic type of musketry, Kunitomo-zutsu, were produced in the Kunitomo-Mura ( Village ) in the Shiga Prefecture, located about 45 miles from Kyoto, the old Capitol before Edo or Tokyo. Later, Tokitaka appointed one of his swordsmiths, Kiyotada Kinbei, to replicate the firearm, but amended its basic design in weight and length. The Portuguese muskets were 20 to 30 % bigger, longer & heavier. The trigger part was re-designed for better fit in the Japanese hands. The larger size imported musketry, Sakai-zutsu, were brought from the Malacca territory of Portugal. Sakai is a port city located next to Osaka City, about 30 miles from Kyoto. By the end of 1544, mass production of the Tanegashima was in effect throughout Japan. Many Feudal Warlords ( Sengoku-Daimyou ) started purchasing the Tanegashima and employed the Tanegashima gunners from 1544 on.
Before the musket gun was introduced in Japan, the horse soldiers were the main source of military strength in the battlefields of the 15th century. When the musket gun came from Portugal to Japan in the middle of the 16th century, Samurai battlefield tactics were changed. The feudal warlords and their clansmen who did not employ the musket gunners started losing battles all over Japan. Lord Katsuyori Takeda’s cavalry consisted of the strongest fighting warriors in the early 1570’s, until it was wiped out by Lord Nobunaga Oda’s musket gunners in 1575. Lord Oda employed 3,000 musket gunners in that famous Nagashino battlefield. Lord Shingen Takeda (Katsuyori’s father) purchased over 300 muskets in 1551, therefore, he could have fought well against Oda’s musket gunners. However, Lord Takeda underestimated the power of the musket guns. Oda built many high wooden fences in front of the musket gunners, which kept Takeda’s horses soldiers away. Nobunaga Oda’s musket gunners could easily fire muskets through the wooden fences without getting charged by Lord Katsuyori Takeda’s horse soldiers. Oda made a musket squadron by lining the gunners up in 6 or 7 rows. Since loading a musket took at least 30 seconds (the average gunner took 40 seconds), the first row would fire and immediately run to the rear for reloading while the second row were firing. Thus, every 5 to 6 seconds, muskets were fired.
The horse soldiers were the easiest and biggest targets for this newly introduced weaponry. The Tanegashima gunners were instructed to shoot the horses first, then their riders second. Obviously, the horses would toss the men who rode them, crushing their skulls or breaking their necks and backs. Let me explain about the battlefield tactics in those days. The entire troops consisted of the Tanegashima gunners, Yari ( Spear ) or Naginata ( Japanese Halberd ) squadrons, Yumi-ya ( Bow and arrow ) squadrons, Ashigaru ( Foot soldiers ), the Kiba-tai ( Cavalry ) and Uchi-gatana ( Sword ) soldiers. When the front line of Ashigaru advanced and closed to about 250 yards of the enemy, the Tanegashima were fired. When the front line came to within about 50 yards of the enemy, the bow and arrow were used. Sometimes flaming arrows were used. When the front line were about 20 yards from the enemy, the Yari and Naginata squadrons were followed by the horse soldiers. Then the final attack was delivered by Samurai who held Yoroi-doushi ( Armor piercing daggers ) or Uchi-gatana ( swords ) for the purpose of decapitation.
After the Tanegashima fighting method, skills, tactics and philosophy were introduced, many Heihou-Jutsu ( Military tactic skills ) were changed in the late 16th Century. The Ashigaru ( Foot soldiers ) equipped with the Tanegashima musketry became a major battle force when Civil War took place all over Japan in the Sengoku Era ( 1467–1591 ). The ordinary Yoroi ( Armor ), which had been used in the battlefield, became useless against the Tanegashima. The Yoroi’s Doumaru ( Body protector ) part was simply too thin to protect against Tanegashima bullets. The Tanegashima bullets easily can penetrate even 3 or 4 thickness of body protectors. Thus, the Yoroi-kaji ( Armor makers ) started producing Yoroi thicker and stronger by demand. They also produced some newly-designed Nanban-Yoroi ( Southern Barbarian type armor ), which were made more or less in one piece. These Yoroi sometimes deflected the Tanegashima bullets.
Another significant change was made to the structure of Shiro ( Castles ), as well as the location of castle from high hill area to flat area for easy access. Instead of the mountain location, the deep Hori ( Moat ) and Tenshu-kaku ( Watch tower ) were added to the standard castle structure for defense against attackers. The walls of castles were built with extra thickness which could not be easily penetrated by Tanegashima bullets. The Take-Taba ( A shield made with multiple bundles of bamboo reeds ) were created to bounce off the Tanegashima bullets. They were held upright by the Ashigaru ( Foot soldiers ) in their hands and arms while they were advancing the front line.
The Tanegashima could easily fire 2 or 3 bullets at the same time. This resulted in bringing 2 or 3 enemy soldiers down with a single shot. The Tanegashima barrels were different from modern-day rifle or shotgun barrels. They had no rifling grooves inside the barrel. Therefore, bullets never traveled straight after 200 yards of flight. Although the Tanegashima bullets could easily travel approximately 540 yards, the accuracy of the Tanegashima firing range was about 100 yards. One of the disadvantages of the Tanegashima was that they could not be fired in the rainy or stormy weather. Even though the special devices, Teppo-Tate ( Shield ) and Teppo-Gasa ( Umbrella-like shield ) were created, they were not able to fire the Tanegashima in the rainy & stormy battlefields. The Ashigaru soldiers often used the Tanegashima as clubs to beat the enemy soldiers when they ran out of bullets or powder or on the stormy & rainy days.
In order to fire the Tanegashima, first we must insert the black powder, one or multiple bullets and wadding of rice paper or cloth to hold the bullets inside the barrel. They were firmly inserted from the front end of Tanegashima by using a special small stick called Karuka ( Packing stick ). The Karuka stick simply pushes ingredients firmly from the front to the bottom part of the barrel. Once the Tanegashima is loaded, a small portion of gun powder is placed in the Hizara ( Firing plate ) which is located on the side of barrel end. When the trigger is pulled, the Hi-basami ( Burning hemp fuse ) travels forward then downward to ignite the gun powder inside the firing plate, then ignite the gun powder inside the Tanegashima barrel. Finally, the bullets push out from the front end of barrel after the explosion takes place in the bottom part of barrel, then continues directly toward the enemy soldiers or horses.
The Tanegashima was commonly known as Hinawa-Ju ( Burning hemp guns ) by the Japanese people. The variations of Tanegashima were produced for the different fighting purposes:
1. The Tan-zutsu ( Small barrel ) version was carried and used by the Feudal Warlords while they were traveling for their protection. The Tan-zutsu were often fired with one hand.
2. The Chu-zutsu ( Mid-size barrel ) version was produced for the purpose of easy transport. They were often fired while the horse soldeirs were riding their horses. The Chu-zutsu were often called Bajo-Zutsu, which literally means riding-horse barrel. The Chu-zutsu were fired with one hand while other hand was holding a Tachi ( Long sword ).
3. The Oo-zutsu ( Large barrel ) versions was produced for the long-range shooting.
The matchlock ( Hinawa-shiki-Ju ) Tanegashima were converted into the flintlock ( Hiuchi-shiki-Ju ) Tanegashima later in the early Edo Era ( 1624–1867 ).
Many Tanegashima shooting schools had been established that are the branches of original, the Tanegashima-Ryu by Koshiro Sasakawa, that spread all over Island of Japan:
1. Ogino-Ryu by Rokubei-Yasushige Hagino
2. Kaifu-Ryu by Sadaemon Masachika
3. Masaki-Ryu by Kaneemon Tokimasu Masaki
4. Kasumi-Ryu by Kuzaemon Moritsugu Maruta
5. Seki-Ryu by Yasaemon Fuminobu Seki
6. Natomi-Ryu by Iga-no-kami Naoie Natomi
7. Sasaki-Ryu by Shinemon Inoue & Sukejirou Sasaki
8. Nakajima-Ryu by Tahei Nagamori Nakajima
9. Ookuma-Ryu by Denbei Nobutsugu Ookuma
10.Inoue-Ryu by Masatsugu Inoue
11.Tatsuki-Ryu by Kagesumi Tatsuke
12.Tabuse-Ryu by Gensuke Tadamune Tabuse
13.Tsuda-Ryu by Kanmotsu Tsuda
14.Tenzan-Ryu by Magohachirou Toshiani Sakamoto
15.Aoyama-Ryu by Gorouemon Aoyama
16.Bue-Ryu by Ichirou-zaemon Bue
17.Torii-Ryu by Masanori Torii
If you happen to obtain the Tanegashima musket gun, I have a few suggestions for you:
1. First, inspect the Tanegashima carefully to see whether there are any cracks in the barrel or not.
2. Second, by pouring a small amount of water inside the barrel and let it stay over night.
3. Third, check & see any leaks the next day.
4. If there is leakage, do not fire the Tanegashima, as it will explode when you fire the Tanegashima.
5. If there is no leakage and you have decided to fire the Tanegashima, do not use too much gun powder. The gun powder must be inserted gradually until the safe level is determined.
Currently, in Japan, the Tanegashima Island people arranged the annual Tanegashima shooting contest. The Tanegashima enthusiasts are gathered from all over Japan to compete in this extraordinary event.
The Japanese people have a well-deserved reputation of improving on imported goods throughout their history. The “Made in Japan” label has become the symbol of 1st-rate quality. The ancient Tanegashima used by the Ashigaru soldiers in the late 16th Century was one of the best examples of all.
