Japanese Matchlocks

We often think of Japanese warriors exclusively carrying katanas into battle. During the Sengoku Period (1467-1615) and Edo Period (1603-1867), matchlocks were actually used quite frequently! These matchlocks were known as tanegashima or hinawajū ("matchlock gun") and they were carried by peasant foot soldiers and lower class samurai called ashigaru, who were commanded by members of the samurai class. Guns were looked down upon by the elite samurai, who thought of it as a weapon only for men too weak or unhonorable to carry a sword. Some elite samurai did not see a problem with guns, and they personally owned and gave guns to their soldiers. These matchlocks took heavy inspiration from Dutch and Portuguese gun design, due to them being the only European countries that had trade connections to Japan. These matchlocks usually had a snapping mechanism, long "v" shaped main spring, brass lock and furniture. If you're interested, read "Tanegashima: the arrival of Europe in Japan" by Olof G. Lidin, it's a very good read!

I think it interesting view on Japanese culture. After exposure to nineteenth century technology the Japanese made great strides in technology.
They leaned how to make swords from the Chinese and went on to make one of tge best swords in the world. They mace have made the best armor. Their carpentry skill was too some of the best in the world.
Howsomever. After exposed to guns and becoming excellent marksman they stagnated.

tenngun said:

I think it interesting view on Japanese culture. After exposure to nineteenth century technology the Japanese made great strides in technology.
They leaned how to make swords from the Chinese and went on to make one of tge best swords in the world. They mace have made the best armor. Their carpentry skill was too some of the best in the world.
Howsomever. After exposed to guns and becoming excellent marksman they stagnated.

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As Japan became more western during the Meiji Era, many of the old practices from the Edo Period (such as wearing kimono, etc) were replaced in every day life with western practices. During festivals and special occasions, many of these traditions are practiced, which I think is really cool! Although the samurai are extinct, martial arts such as judo and kendo are programs in Japanese schools!

These matchlocks are indeed interesting. These matchlocks were built without the use of a single screw. The only threaded connection is the breech plug to the barrel. Everything else was assembled with pins. It's very clever.
During the 19th Century many of these guns were either converted or made new using percussion locks. For the most part, it's as if Japan completely skipped the flintlock period. Going directly from matchlock to percussion. There are a handful or so of these muskets using flintlocks, but they are extremely rare, even in Japan. Rather curious.

Rick

I’ve read that flint is not naturally occurring in Japan at least to any extent, so flintlocks didn’t have much appeal to the Japanese for this reason. With their isolationist trade policy they wouldn’t have been able to import them as some other nations did.

Whatever Dutch or Portugees traders brought the guns are clearly copied from Venecian guns, that region being so prolific producers they where the ' AK 47' of that age . The short butt is simply down to the originals traded had the shoulder
stocks shortened . My belief is they had been wormed of damaged & . The Japo's didnt know any better and continued with the shortened butts . The port of Tanagashima being where they first got these Venetion guns . The brass springs & lack of screws is down to their inability to make them ,Ironic considering the Swords . Venetion barrels where an import , Though they all varied even the few preserved in the Royal Armouries the details & stocking ect are just European . Don't believe me ? study the guns .
Rudyard

Rudyard, I'll have to politely disagree on a number of points. The original snapping matchlocks that the Portuguese brought to Japan were cheek stock firearms. Not unusual in mid-1500s Europe. This suited the armored Japanese samurai/ashigaru. A shoulder stock is problematic with armor.

The brass springs were correct for the purpose, as with a snapping matchlock the object is just to bring the match down quickly, not smack a flint into steel. (As an aside, I have a repro Tanegashima with a brass spring that I have to file down and weaken a bit. It smashes the match a bit too hard.) The Japanese were quite adept at making iron and produced their own barrels. I've seen ones that were shaved with a plane to concave flats; not something any European gunsmith ever did. Their barrel and breechplug styles were unique to Japan.

By1600 Japan had large numbers of domestically manufactured firearms. They featured prominently at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which put the Tokugawa clan on top. Once the Tokugawa shogunate consolidated power the internal wars in Japan abated for about 250 years. The shogun put the gunsmiths on annual retainers and so they concentrated on making a few fancy guns instead of many plain ones. In the absence of outside threats, matchlocks served them well.

Dear Canute Rex . While the Portugeese may well have brought snap matchlocks and I agree cheek stocks were quite normal . The examples housed in the Royal Armouries of known Veneitian originals much like the relics recovered from the ' Mary Rose' have the same Venition features showing details of the rammer channel and basic forward snap match locks , details far too close to mistake them for any other source . Guy Wilson then at the Tower wrote a detailed account & comparison with the ' Mary Rose' recovered pieces( sank 1545 or so) known to be Venietian much as the three sound examples housed in the Tower ( Now presumably in the Royal Armouries at Leeds ) Henry the Eight sought more but bought thousands . Each gun will varie( but like Indian matchlocks do) but all basically the same construction details . Hence I concluded that Japonees copys with these same features & details other than the stock leanght . It seems to me & Iv'e made numbers of the Veneition style since it gives the 'modern' pistol grip, plus can have peep rear sights and a trigger where modern people expect a trigger to be .Yet conforms to MLAIC standards .Even if the same MLA International committee have gone allong with the Japonees desire to have their copied style .A descision Much more political that factually based . Or at least that was the proposal .
I certainly shot to MLAIC compettions as I knew it , But though makeing numbers for would be participants And qualifieing scores so ' as of right' Could make the team but I never aspired to be in any team , Not suiting my annual pattern of hemispere hopping (Geese are not as silly as they look ). Nor am I into natty team blazers ect . ( Bit of a grub really ) But happily shot with aspirants to give them the all important ' match conditions 'as well as my personal goal to make top scores in ' Tanagashima ' & the Kneeling one ' H' something . In short the guns them selves speak volumes as to a Venetion original that had it stock shortened .& speculate it got damaged so they fettled it down & flicked it off to the Japo's who didn.t know any better and the crafty Portugee laughed all the back home . Might have swopped it for a Gaisha girl who knows . Ime happy to be prouved wrong but my study tallies . I agree the spring needs scarce any power Iv'e made & shot & hunted enough to figure that out . Reading your letter over you have a point re shortening to suit armour so only the origin rather than the form & stock leangth if the total leanth was longer than needed for a soley cheek stock and long enough to go to the shoulder .

Regards Inccorigable
Rudyard .



PS This E gajet can't spell worth a hoot
& if I have an E address I can send Guy Wilson 's article from the School Monday

Dear Rudyard … I have no idea what any of that means … and even worse, Fred Gowen & Chris Gilgun both say that you’re easier to understand written than spoken!

Canute Rex said:

Rudyard, I'll have to politely disagree on a number of points. The original snapping matchlocks that the Portuguese brought to Japan were cheek stock firearms. Not unusual in mid-1500s Europe. This suited the armored Japanese samurai/ashigaru. A shoulder stock is problematic with armor.

The brass springs were correct for the purpose, as with a snapping matchlock the object is just to bring the match down quickly, not smack a flint into steel. (As an aside, I have a repro Tanegashima with a brass spring that I have to file down and weaken a bit. It smashes the match a bit too hard.) The Japanese were quite adept at making iron and produced their own barrels. I've seen ones that were shaved with a plane to concave flats; not something any European gunsmith ever did. Their barrel and breechplug styles were unique to Japan.

By1600 Japan had large numbers of domestically manufactured firearms. They featured prominently at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which put the Tokugawa clan on top. Once the Tokugawa shogunate consolidated power the internal wars in Japan abated for about 250 years. The shogun put the gunsmiths on annual retainers and so they concentrated on making a few fancy guns instead of many plain ones. In the absence of outside threats, matchlocks served them well.

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Interesting! It seems like the warlords who utilized gunpowder often were the most successful (Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga come to mind). I wonder if the shogunate was still using matchlocks in the Boshin War.

Flint62Smoothie said:

Dear Rudyard … I have no idea what any of that means … and even worse, Fred Gowen & Chris Gilgun both say that you’re easier to understand written than spoken!

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Dear Flint Its all readably enough to me, Its not my fault you fellows don't understand Yorkshire ! . Give my regards to them both .

I did have a crash course in Speaking 'Merican' at the L & R school of eliquetion . viz ." Weeayel " ", Cayandee ". And" You done noww Sheeet".are the jist of it that I recall . cant say I used that phrase much . But I remember it .
Regards Rudyard

granth said:

Although the samurai are extinct, martial arts such as judo and kendo are programs in Japanese schools!

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With respect and though often erroneously listed as a martial art, Judo (wrestling) is considered a sport rather than a martial art. This because it is defensive in nature until one gets rather high in belt rank and can use some techniques offensively.

My Sensei, Paul Yuramura was a Nisei (born in America of Japanese immigrant parents) and who taught "old school" Judo to us in the early 1960's. There was no such thing as a 2 year Black Belt in his Dojo. One MIGHT be up for taking the tests to go from white (first learning) belt to yellow (second) belt in a year and a half to almost two years, IF one showed the proper technique and emotional control.

On Okinawa (the Original Home of Karate-Do), Karate is taught to children as young as 4 years of age, if they are sufficiently emotionally trained/ready at that age and often the child of at least one parental practitioner of the art. I was extremely lucky to be introduced to and allowed to study at an ancient Dojo in Naha, Okinawa in 1972, where I was only the third "round eye" (westerner) in history found acceptable to train there.

Gus

P.S. Though they no longer wear traditional Japanese Armor most of the time, I will politely disagree the Samurai are extinct.

Canute Rex said:

The brass springs were correct for the purpose, as with a snapping matchlock the object is just to bring the match down quickly, not smack a flint into steel. (As an aside, I have a repro Tanegashima with a brass spring that I have to file down and weaken a bit. It smashes the match a bit too hard.) The Japanese were quite adept at making iron and produced their own barrels. I've seen ones that were shaved with a plane to concave flats; not something any European gunsmith ever did. Their barrel and breechplug styles were unique to Japan.

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I worked on four original Tanegashima's at two World Championships of the International Muzzleloading Committee in Wedgnock, UK. I was stunned at the metallurgy of the bronze springs. One even had a bronze flat COIL spring to power the serpentine. I'm not sure we could duplicate that today.

Gus

Having done drill and firing demonstrations and re-enacting of 18th - 19th century through the UnCivil War, I was impressed with the tactics shown in the following video.



Gus

Artificer said:

With respect and though often erroneously listed as a martial art, Judo (wrestling) is considered a sport rather than a martial art. This because it is defensive in nature until one gets rather high in belt rank and can use some techniques offensively.

My Sensei, Paul Yuramura was a Nisei (born in America of Japanese immigrant parents) and who taught "old school" Judo to us in the early 1960's. There was no such thing as a 2 year Black Belt in his Dojo. One MIGHT be up for taking the tests to go from white (first learning) belt to yellow (second) belt in a year and a half to almost two years, IF one showed the proper technique and emotional control.

On Okinawa (the Original Home of Karate-Do), Karate is taught to children as young as 4 years of age, if they are sufficiently emotionally trained/ready at that age and often the child of at least one parental practitioner of the art. I was extremely lucky to be introduced to and allowed to study at an ancient Dojo in Naha, Okinawa in 1972, where I was only the third "round eye" (westerner) in history found acceptable to train there.

Gus

P.S. Though they no longer wear traditional Japanese Armor most of the time, I will politely disagree the Samurai are extinct.

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Ahh I see. Your story is very interesting, thanks for the reply!

Here's an example of the type of cheek stock snap matchlock of the 1500s that the Portuguese brought to Japan.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15294
A gift from the Grand Duke of Tuscany (a Medici) to a Saxon Elector.

This cocktail of style gun is likley quite different to the much more direct Venetion pieces made & exported in huge numbers . The known relics from the' Mary Rose sank \1545 or 6 about then ,& the Three Examples lodged in the Royal Armouries & studied by Guy Wilson then employed by the Tower Armouries ( Then held At the Tower). Now at The Leeds premises specially built to the glory of Arms despite the socialist Councils of South Yorkshire . Do rather confirm my views . Goa was a small enclave in India . The Indians just walked in. But Macow was tolerated by China as a Gambling resort . The Portugees seemed to like little enclaves Mogador now Esouria Morocco was one Port' Guinie another , Soa Tome an Island one , & East Timor & Bachou & Ocousy others ( However they spelt it ) I was there overlanding to UK so recall them as examples . What Ime saying is as like as not the Venition shortened but a version that was the basis for the Japo copies & they did at least for a period import Italian barrels . Again Ile post you or maybe via Gus ? the Guy Wilson articles as I have his E.
Regards Rudyard

The Japanese were , and still are , great copiers and improvers of ideas , They took the matchlock idea from the Portuguese and Dutch and improved and refined the idea to its limits but they did not develop other ignition systems like the Flintlock because Europeans were banned and excluded from Japan 1635-1639 , so they did not see flintlocks and it wasn't until 1853 when Commodore Perry re opened Japan to the world , so they basically missed a whole firearms ignition system .
Pedersoli used to make a Japanese style matchlock called the Tomonobu Teppo .492 but is seems to have disappeared from the website at the top of the page .It was /is used in the Repo Tanegashima match at the MLIAC World Champs , there is a match for original ones as well .

Flint 62 . Rudyard is not hard to understand , I had a pleasant chat with him on the phone this afternoon

Artificer said:

I worked on four original Tanegashima's at two World Championships of the International Muzzleloading Committee in Wedgnock, UK. I was stunned at the metallurgy of the bronze springs. One even had a bronze flat COIL spring to power the serpentine. I'm not sure we could duplicate that today.

Gus

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Bronze Age Chinese metallurgists (or whatever they called them in those days) had vast experience and knowledge of all the mixes of copper alloy metals using tin, zinc, arsenic and assorted other additions in varying proportions plus using work hardening to make ‘bronze’ do most of the tasks for we now use iron and steel. I am sure the modern Japanese had the same. I have, about my library in France, a book listing over 140 receipts for ‘bronze’ several of which are for springs with notes upon the relationship between thickness and applied work hardening to suit a spring to a task. Within the limitation of ‘bronze’ there is nothing to prevent a fully working firearm free of iron being made. Even copper can make a chisel with the edge carefully work hardened. Mind you it has to be annealed and re hardened very frequently so Egyptians must have had a huge reworking unit devoted to rehardening chisels several times a day when cutting the stones for the pyramids.


I note the metal here as ‘bronze’ because the only common denominator is the base copper for the same reason as archaeologists stopped writing of bronze and of brass and use the term ‘copper alloy’ to cover all the variations.

Cutfinger said:

The Japanese were , and still are , great copiers and improvers of ideas , They took the matchlock idea from the Portuguese and Dutch and improved and refined the idea to its limits but they did not develop other ignition systems like the Flintlock because Europeans were banned and excluded from Japan 1635-1639 , so they did not see flintlocks and it wasn't until 1853 when Commodore Perry re opened Japan to the world , so they basically missed a whole firearms ignition system .
Pedersoli used to make a Japanese style matchlock called the Tomonobu Teppo .492 but is seems to have disappeared from the website at the top of the page .It was /is used in the Repo Tanegashima match at the MLIAC World Champs , there is a match for original ones as well .

Flint 62 . Rudyard is not hard to understand , I had a pleasant chat with him on the phone this afternoon

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Great point. Yes, that would be the likely reason for missing the flintlock period. Thanks.

Rick