Matchlock guns at Azuchi Nobunaga Festival 安土信長まつり

Demonstration of firing matchlock guns used during the Edo Period. Held on June 4, 2006 at the Nobunaga Festival in Azuchi, Shiga Prefecture, Japan, site of Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle. The voice you hear is not mine. Also see photos at http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=360

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• japan
• shiga
• azuchi
• oda
• nobunaga
• matchlock
• gun
• 滋賀県
• 安土信長まつり
• 鉄砲

[Magni56]

@CaScA

Aye, though there'Smultiple accounts of japanese gunners developing Volley by Rank seperately.

[malevolenceXXXensues]

a small stepping stone to modern japan

[037kondo]

@CaScA The Japanese in most cases used the arquebus in defensive position against charging enemies unlike the Europeans who marched in ranks towards the enemies and formed a line. Because of that, it was more efficient to designate loader and shooter, where one men always had his eyes on the enemies, never to worry about loading while the loader concentrated his efforts on loading. The confederates used similar tactic on the Battle of Fredericksburg.

[CaScA]

Right.

The one I explained was "Volley By Rank".

The one you explained was "Fire By Section".

Both of them were European innovations.

[death5089]

they also did a technique where the ranks wud fire 3 men at a time from left to right. once the last 3 men on the right had fired the first 3 on the left were ready to for again.

[CaScA]

Europeans had a similiar technique, except they didn't give an individual man several guns.

Instead, the Europeans formed their musketeers into units of five ranks deep. When the front rank fired, it would retire to the rear and reload while the second rank opened fire. Rinse and repeat. By the time the fifth rank got up to the front, the first rank was ready to go.

[kanochain]

Very interesting, and even louder than i would have thought :P

[tenchimuyo69]

Nobunaga revolutionized gun fighting by actually using them against cavalry effectively (Normally, gunmen are vulnerable to horses) by giving EACH soldier 4-5 guns each, and the shooter switches guns afterwards while a second person reloads the previously fired one.

While this is useless in offence as it is hard to carry 5 guns with you, it always saw him to victory in defencive fighting.

And no one in Europe even thought this strategy would work before Nobunaga tried it...

[RoninDave]

yeah, I saw the fire matchlocks at a re-enactment of Kawanakajima in Yonezawa. They're freaking loud! Like a small cannon. looks a like a coold festival!

[bobicus880]

best video ever! thank you