Edo Period Corner Part II

[Ken-Hawaii]

That blowback looks uncomfortable, Piers.

[Bugyotsuji]

Ken, it depends partly upon the gun. Some have a little baffle called a Kemuri-gaeshi (smoke deflector) which can deflect it away from the face and eyes. A new gun would have had a very tight vent hole to help maintain the power of the main charge. Conversely a tired old gun will have massive blowback, probably defining the end of working life for that gun. I have had burning powder embers hitting my face, from a borrowed gun. There was of course a little operation that could be performed back then called a Buku-naoshi, essentially a rebuild of the pan and vent hole.

[John A Stuart]

You know what I'd really like to see, Piers? Speed firing (say 3 rounds) or targets competitions. Much more satisfying I'd think than shooting blanks, at least for the onlookers when allowed. John

[Bugyotsuji]

John, I guess that the only way for guns to continue to be allowed to exist in Tokugawa Japan was for them to be tightly controlled in schools of gunnery. Body movements were taken from archery and swordsmanship. Nothing hurried about anything. An exercise in patience and breathing? Sometimes I wish we could be told to run between actions, but no, the spectators are expected to stand silently while we fumble with our match cords. 

 

The sound of gunfire is non-existent in Japan today, so the spectators at one of our demonstrations will end up shocked and shaken by the thunderous black powder volleys which batter the entire body. 'Purification' the priests at a shrine willsay, and possibly even considered by some as therapy, like Okyu Moxa and Hari acupuncture(?)

 

It is only as a martial art that we can get the mountains of paperwork through the police bureaucracy for each event. Naturally the only practice any of us ever get is a lone live firing.

 

Inserting ball for target shooting is another world and would be another level of license. 

 

The only thing that possibly excites anyone is the rippling volley, 'tsurube-uchi', said to imitate a bucket falling down a well shaft. Not easy to get the timing right with burning cords and falling serpentines. Also, behind the Babosaku fences at Nagashino, matchlock troops will show Sandan-Shaho, lines of three where the front line will fire and then move to the back to reload. We have played with that in front of Himeji Castle at their Shiro-Matsuri. 

 

The Teppo-Tai matchlock companies are there to show off genuine armour, in most cases, different gunnery 'Ryu' and 'kata', and genuine old antique guns. Replica guns are not allowed in Japan.

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Piers,

Looks like you guys had a real Blast!!

 

😎

[Bugyotsuji]

1 hour ago, Grim Reaper said:

Hi Piers,

Looks like you guys had a real Blast!!

 

😎

Haha, Malcolm! 
*At that I should mention that we are both guys and gals!

[John A Stuart]

How odd it is that black powder weapons are unregulated for the most part here, no license, while the country that made gunnery and volley fire an artform suffer draconian regulation. John

[Bugyotsuji]

We have four gals now who actually fire these guns. Two would take turns to fire the lone salute before the display itself begins, but they both wanted to be in the regular firing line, so eventually our very conservative leader relented. Two more have taken their place, one firing a long gun and other firing a pistol in the initial salute.

 

The first two have blended in well and once they're in full armo(u)r it is almost impossible to tell anyone's gender. Ms K is particularly enthusiastic and has shown she can do anything a guy can, and more, even owning and firing one of the bigger guns. I guess the fact that no-one spotted her shows how well we are blended.

[Dave R]

Lets face it, ladies fit the original armour better!

[Bugyotsuji]

In mid March 2021 there will be a 杮落とし Kokera-otoshi opening ceremony for the newly reconstructed 表門 Omote-Mon main gate to Tottori Castle. (They also rebuilt the 'Giboshi-Bashi' bridge a few years ago, to original specifications.)

 

Our teppo troop has been invited to their ceremony for a live firing. There are mixed feelings in Tottori, as we are their cousins, carrying the open-winged 備前蝶 Bizen-Cho flags of the Okayama Ikeda, whereas they traditionally use the older 立て羽蝶 standing butterfly of the Tottori Ikeda, inherited from Ikeda Terumasa of Himeji.  To complicate matters there is pride involved, Tottori being a 32.5 Koku fiefdom, whereas Okayama is a mere 31.5 Koku, all that was left of the Ikeda 1,000,000 Koku. I have a gun with 因幡 (Inaba) Tottori Ikeda crest and markings which might be a consideration to fire there. The Mei is not a Tottori smith, though, so possibly this is not such a bright idea. I also have a Bizen Sukekane Tanto in Inaba Koshirae, which I treasure as a symbol of harmony between cousins.

 

 

[b.hennick]

What delightful problems you have to solve.

[John A Stuart]

Quote

Tottori being a 32.5 Koku fiefdom, whereas Okayama is a mere 31.5 Koku

I assume you mean 32.5 sen koku and 31.5 sen koku. John

[Bugyotsuji]

Haha, yes, thanks, John, although actually I meant 32.5 man koku and 31.5 man koku!

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning Gentlemen,

 

Just to get the math into my head:

 

So 32.5 万 & 31.5 万 would be 325,000 & 315,000 respectively?

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes, M San, and 1,000,000 Koku is 百万石　hyaku-man-goku 

[Bugyotsuji]

Tsuyama Castle have now confirmed that they will hold this year's Cherry Blossom Matsuri at the beginning of April, and we are invited. So that is the second (semi) solid event on the 2021 calendar.

 

We have been upgrading our guns, with many thanks to Peter M in Ireland and Ian C in the UK.

This has meant that I have been nudged to 'up' my game, incidentally inheriting a larger gun box. Yesterday I was given a set of chunky Edo Period iron carrying handles;  I spent today fitting them.

Notice the rectangular hole for the carrying pole.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Although we are a Tanegashima matchlock troop, we all wear a koshirae at the waist, some of them quite fancy. Many like to wear Tachi-goshirae, but that means always being conscious of your 'tail'. Others prefer a wakizashi for the convenience, or even just a Tanto. 

 

There is always a trade-off, though. The better quality they are, the greater the sense of loss when they get bashed and banged around. I guess that there was constant damage and subsequent repair back in the days before the 1876 Haitorei, when sword wearing in public was banned.

[Viper6924]

Loving the box, Piers! Look at those large rivit-heads protecting the corners.

It will be hard work carrying it around Tsuyama Castle. But it will be worth it.

Can’t wait to see you firing the 50 monme for the first time. Oh, and let’s not forget the premier shot of the new 100 monme. Will def rattle the Cherry blossoms

 

Jan

[Bugyotsuji]

Not sure where to write this, but this thread is probably as good as any. 

 

Yesterday I was at a *mask-free party and got chatting with a bright-eyed and active-looking elderly couple. They were amazing and full of interesting stories, some of which I would like to record here before my memory fades.

 

a) The lady. Her father was in military intelligence in Tokyo during WWII, (lovely story about Tojo Hideki) and his job demanded that he go to Kure for some kind of inspection. On the morning of their last day, they were debating where to have breakfast, either in Kure or downtown Hiroshima. The group consensus was the latter. During breakfast there was a bright flash of light onto his neck from behind him, so he and his superior ran outside to see what the other group members had all just witnessed.

These two were immediately hit by some kind of blast wave that totally flattened the wooden building and killed everyone inside. There was some kind of  a hillock between them and the city which had somehow lessened the force. His superior's daughter was downtown, he was told, so they set off to search for her, spending the whole day wandering around what was left of the city. She was never found. For the rest of his life he suffered from a square white burn across his neck, shoulders and back, both painful and itchy, especially in the summer months. This lady remembers as a child, patting a pinkish substance (calamine lotion) onto his burns.  He died not too long ago at 98.

b) The gentleman. He told me that he is descended from the Karo to the Mori family. His ancestor had served Mori Yoshinari, then his 'devil' Christian son Nagayoshi, then Mori Tadamasa who built Tsuyama Castle. The family had a large residence on a prominent height in Tsuyama, and he still has an inherited set of armour and a sword which can be seen in a Meiji photograph he has of his great, great, great grandfather, he was saying. To him these are family treasures, but he has never checked for a Mei, and he has no knowledge of swords or armour.

Many of these tales turn out to be nothing special, but I felt that here was an important link down through history. I have asked him to write what he knows and have offered to translate it into English, as I am sure there will be many people interested in his story. He seems open to the idea of finding out about the sword, so my plan is to go visit him some time with my sword sensei. If it pans out, I will update here. 

[John A Stuart]

I'd be there in a flash. Many stories and acts of heroism, lessons for posterity, vanish without record. John

[Bugyotsuji]

Next Saturday. Hoping the weather holds. It can be bitter over on the Japan Sea coast.

https://twitter.com/tottori_kankou/status/1361580350225272834/photo/1

[ROKUJURO]

On 3/4/2021 at 8:04 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

Not sure where to write this, but this thread is probably as good as any. 

 

Yesterday I was at a *mask-free party and got chatting with a bright-eyed and active-looking elderly couple. They were amazing and full of interesting stories, some of which I would like to record here before my memory fades......

Fascinating! Thank you!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Glad you were there to capture those moments in history, Piers.

[Bugyotsuji]

In the car heading to Tottori and it’s pouring with rain. The festival committee met this morning and made the decision to go ahead with the ceremonies. (I wonder if they really gave thought to how we will manage blackpowder and burning cord, not to mention all the antique swords, armour and matchlocks.)

Three people in this car with around 150 kg of baggage.

Watch this space...

[Bugyotsuji]

Distant footage of the 50 Monmé Sendai hand cannon yesterday that I was privileged to heave up and fire for the first time, during a brief break in the weather. Look for the Ring of Sauron. (火縄銃煙の輪っか Hinawaju, Kemuri no wakka, smoke ring from a matchlock.)

After me was the NBTHK sword Sensei, Mr K, firing the lovely but massively heavy 100 Monme which was recently repatriated thanks to the kind offices of Peter McC in Belfast and Ian C in Ditchling. If footage of that appears I will link it here.

[John A Stuart]

Is the pic link busted Piers?

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Can’t you see the vid clip in post #691 John?

[Brian]

Piers, that is incredible. Thanks for sharing. That smoke ring is awesome! Never seen that before. Is it is standard feature of matchlock firing? Can you imagine a whole battlefield of smoke rings?
We are living vicariously through you here.

[Bugyotsuji]

Occasionally a neatly-formed ring will blast out and roll down the valley! I am just trying to remember exactly how I loaded the gun yesterday. Fingers crossed it will happen again one day!

Here they are this morning lined up in the kitchen waiting to be cleaned. (Mrs Bugyotsuji was out shopping.)

 

 

[John A Stuart]

I meant this part. It just opens a white blank with some design. 

"

火縄銃煙の輪っか。#火縄銃　#鳥取 #鳥取城跡　#tottori pic.twitter.com/JYsqgA7LEi

— chanjun (@chska825) March 13, 2021 "