Tanegashima depicted in Japanese Art

[Bugyotsuji]

Having been involved with Tanegashima for over a quarter of a century, I was naturally drawn to anything connected to this relatively unknown (at the time) weapon. 

 

Many of you here will have depictions of them in one form or another, so it seemed like a good idea to start a new thread.

 

This original woodblock print I found in London some years ago, two panels of a triptych by Kuniyoshi about the famous charge of Yamamoto Kansuke in 1561 at the Battle of Kawanakashima ("island in mid-river"), actually a series of five battles between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, with various well-known happenings.

 

It was the black-lacquered matchlock gun lying on the ground which caught my eye, among all the broken swords and spears etc., showing that by this relatively early timeline they were already part of the sengoku battlefield.

Couple that with the blades and the armour, and my collecting fields are (mostly) covered! 

 

Photos follow

A

 

Detail B