photo #2138299

Teppo, Hinawaju, Guns of the SamuraiThe first matchlock guns, known as a "Hinawaju" or "Teppo" (some earlier guns were also known as Tanegashima, after the island upon which the first Portuguese had introduced the weapons, and Tanegashima Tokitaka, lord of the island who purchased the first two guns) arrived with Portuguese traders in 1543 and their potential was quickly recognized, changing samurai battles considerably as strategy and tactics developed. Whereas archers were previously used first and foremost, the relative simplicity of the gun allowed even the ashigaru foot soldier with limited training, to become a formidable fighting unit. The early weapons had a range of 2-300 + meters, yet an effective range against armour of about 50 to 75 meters. Guns were now frontline weapons, often backed by archers, who were themselves backed by spearmen, ready to rush forward. Despite the numbers and effectiveness of the gun, matchlocks never overtook nor suppressed archery as a major battle weapon.When a Chinese junk carrying Portuguese sailors on board anchored to weather a storm, Lord Tanegashima Tokitaka witnessed a demonstration of the guns and purchased two of the weapons. He had his swordsmith, Yaita ,copy the pieces, which he could do, but had a major problem with creating the threading on the breach bolt. The following year, the traders returned, and with them came a Portuguese blacksmith. The problem was solved, and Japanese production of the firearms began in earnest.Just 32 years after guns had arrived, Oda Nobunaga had proven their value in defeating Takeda Katsuyori at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, when, according to legend, his 3,000 men in ranks of three provided a near continuous volley of fire at the approaching enemy, with devastating results. (Recent studies have suggested that instead of rows of three, the Oda samurai were possibly working in teams of three to first load gunpowder and fit a musket ball, then hand the weapon on to prepare the pantray and matchcord, and then pass it ready to the shooter.)The guns were of relatively simple construction, a steel bore fitted with a wooden stock. A priming pan on the right of the bore sat below a serpentine lever holding a length of smoldering, saltpetre-impregnated cord. When the trigger was pulled, the spring-loaded serpentine dropped the slow burning cord into the priming powder in the open pan. Bang!The marksmen carried either a small flask of gunpowder and a smaller container of priming powder, or pre-measured powder packs in paper tubes kept in a small box tied around their waist. This made recharging quicker, and so using the wooden ramrod housed in the gun’s stock to pack the powder and ram home the lead ball meant that all could be performed ideally in as little as 40 seconds. However, during the heat of battle, on damp or windy days, reloading a matchlock weapon could take significantly longer.It has been estimated that 25,000 matchlock guns, or 30 percent of all the guns in existence worldwide at the time were used at The Battle Of Sekigahara. In all of Europe, only 30,000 guns were believed to be in use. Japan had a total of approximately 55,000 of these projectile weapons, and in fact had more guns than any other country at that time.At the end of the Edo Period, there were some 200 blacksmith groups making the matchlock gun.