02/15/2021
Fi****ms were first introduced to Japan in 1270 as Metal tubes invented in China. They had no trigger or sights and really are only in name a firearm.
True fi****ms as we know them, with sights, a trigger, and a stock were first documented as being introduced by a Chinese vessle with Portugese adventurers on board in 1543. The lord of the island of Tanegashima bought two Snap Style matchlocks from them after a demonstration. He instantly put a local swordsmith to work to copy the barrel and firing mechanisms!
In 1560 the “Tanegashima-Teppo” changed warfare. They were slow to be adopted, as in the time a gunner could load, charge, and shoot the firearm a trained archer could loose 15 arrows!
However, multiple advances in technology quickly made these weapons a staple of Japanese Warfare in the Sengoku Jidai: larger calibers were soon developed to increase killing power, a firing pattern was made to increase the overall rate of fire for a group of soldiers, and protective lacquered boxes were created to allow the Matchlock to fire even in rain or high winds. In 1567 after Takeda Shingen said “Hereafter the Gun will be the most important arms. Decrease the number of spears per unit, and have your most capable men carry guns”
This marked a turning point in Japanese warfare, while bows, spears, and calvary were still widely used, the gun still reigned supreme when brought to bear properly. These weapons were so important that it quite possibly created more fi****ms in the Island Nation than the entirety of Europe in production!
So next time someone says “Samurai would never use guns” Point them to this picture:
