Chapter 8

**Data 1: Why Shields Were Not Widely Used in Japan During the Warring States Period**

The use of shields in Japanese history is rarely recorded. From the Gempei War period, when samurai used one hand to hold a tachi (long sword) and the other to hold a shield, there was little development during the subsequent Kamakura Shogunate and the Nanboku-chō Wars. Later, large wooden shields were used primarily for defensive purposes in fixed fortifications and siege warfare. During the time of Oda Nobunaga, only arquebusiers used shields, which also served as supports. However, why did the Japanese abandon the shield-making techniques that were once highly regarded, even by the invincible Roman legions? Moreover, the shield-making techniques of the major cultural countries in the East, such as China and Korea, were quite advanced. Was it because Japanese armor was too excellent? However, most Japanese armor was made of bamboo, with very little iron armor, which was only worn by generals and some samurai. Common foot soldiers had no armor protection. Compared to the at least 60% armor rate in China and other Eastern and Western countries, Japan should have used shields on a larger scale. What were the reasons? There are two main aspects:

1. **Practical Combat Factors**: Japanese bow-making technology was not well-developed. The bamboo bows and better-quality maruki bows had an effective range of about 80 to 100 meters. These simple bows, which have been passed down since the Jōmon period, were made by soaking wooden strips in water or oil and then bundling them with rope. The bows were large, often referred to as "full-length bows," typically ranging from 80 to 270 centimeters in length and weighing 0.5 to 1.0 kilograms. However, the angle at which they could be drawn was very small, making a full draw impossible. Therefore, the armor of the time was sufficient for defense. During charges, the long spears and two-handed swords had a clear advantage over small shields and single swords, as the swords used were mostly two-handed, with few single-handed swords. From the Edo period, when samurai in Satsuma began using longer-handled swords, to the development of the tachi, which emphasized offensive capabilities, the power of these weapons far exceeded what small wooden shields could defend against. Skilled wielders of the nodachi (two-handed greatsword) could almost cut enemies in half. Thus, samurai equipped with nodachi were used as shock troops to break through enemy formations, and large shields used in siege warfare provided better protection than individual small shields. The steel quality and destructive power of Japanese swords in the subsequent periods made the development of shields unnecessary. After the introduction of firearms, even shields could not stop bullets, and the widespread use of arquebuses quickly replaced the developing bow and arrow technology. The heavy yumi (composite bow) and the yumi-tai (bow made from bamboo strips) had ranges of 80 to 180 meters and 200 to 400 meters, respectively, but even these were rendered obsolete by firearms.

2. **Environmental Factors**: Japan's lack of resources hindered the development of both bows and shields. Cheap bamboo bows were more suitable for battlefield needs than crossbows, which Japan had once imported from China but abandoned due to their complexity and high cost. Japan placed more emphasis on offensive tactics and less on defense, and daimyo (feudal lords) encouraged military achievements through the taking of enemy heads. This led to the samurai code, which emphasized the willingness to die for bushido (the way of the samurai). Samurai often compared themselves to cherry blossoms, with short but brilliant lives. Death was not feared but seen as an inevitable and noble end. Additionally, Japan's forested island geography made the practical value of simple shields far less than that of quick, two-handed swords.

These two points, while covering various reasons, essentially highlight the technological backwardness and cultural ignorance of Japan. During the time of Qi Jiguang, the use of rattan shields and swords effectively countered Japanese attacks, leading to their defeat.

**Data 2: A Brief Discussion on Japanese Long-Range Weapons (Bows and Arrows)**

Japanese bow and arrow technology has never been particularly advanced. Some argue that this is due to a lack of emphasis on bow and arrow tactics in Japanese military strategy, rather than a lack of technical ability. (I personally believe it is due to the poor quality of Japanese bows, which made them ineffective and thus not highly valued.) In Japanese warfare, the most commonly used bow was the maruki bow, a simple bow that has been used since the Jōmon period and continued to be used until the end of the Warring States period (and was eventually replaced by the widespread use of arquebuses). These bows were made by soaking wooden strips in water (or oil for better quality) and bundling them with rope. They were often very large, known as "full-length bows," typically ranging from 80 to 270 centimeters in length and weighing 0.5 to 1.0 kilograms. However, the angle at which they could be drawn was very small, making a full draw impossible. The effective range of these bows was about 80 to 100 meters, with little killing power. (I remember a movie where a samurai was hit by dozens of arrows and still moved around, which is theoretically possible.) These weapons, used by foot soldiers and peasant soldiers, were not expected to be of high quality.

The bows used by samurai were generally more threatening (though not comparable to contemporary Chinese bows). For example, the heavy yumi (composite bow) used during the Nanboku-chō period, also known as the yumi-tai, was 170 to 180 centimeters long and weighed 0.2 to 0.3 kilograms. It had a range of 80 to 180 meters. These bows can often be seen in historical scrolls from the period (though the proportions in the paintings are often inaccurate, suggesting an average height of over two meters for the Japanese at the time). The yumi-tai, used from the late Muromachi period to the Edo period, was made from bamboo strips and had a similar construction to composite bows, typically 120 to 170 centimeters long and weighing 0.2 to 0.3 kilograms. These bows were lighter and more resilient, with a range of 200 to 400 meters. These weapons were more effective for long-range attacks and played a significant role in early Warring States period battles, though they were quickly replaced by arquebuses.

It is worth noting that Japan did import crossbows from China as early as the Heian period, but they did not become widespread due to their complexity and high cost, as well as the lack of need for armor-piercing weapons in Japan.

Regarding Japanese firearms, the main types were:

- **Tanegashima**: A type of arquebus, not limited to those produced on Tanegashima Island, but generally referring to the Japanese-made copies of Portuguese arquebuses introduced in 1543. They ranged from 80 to 180 centimeters in length and weighed 1.5 to 5.0 kilograms. Their killing power far exceeded that of contemporary Japanese bows, which had a maximum range of 400 meters and an effective range of 80 meters. The Tanegashima had a range of 100 to 300 meters and an effective range of 50 meters, leading to their rapid spread in Japan.

- **Ōzutsu**: A large-caliber, smoothbore matchlock gun. Ranging from 90 to 140 centimeters in length and weighing 8 to 12 kilograms, with a caliber of 30 to 40 centimeters, it had a significant range and destructive power, capable of firing up to 400 to 500 meters (essentially a small cannon). One existing ōzutsu has a caliber of 80 centimeters and uses a powerful shot called "Senbon-kiri," with a range of 800 meters and high accuracy. This weapon was used during the Edo period.

- **Kabutozutsu**: A type of short arquebus. The cavalry known as "kabuto-iron" used this weapon, but its range and power were limited, with a range of 10 to 30 meters and an effective range of 5 meters.

- **Keshi-bi**: A peculiar weapon using chemical reagents, specifically mercury fulminate (Hg(ONV)2), developed during the Edo period.

- **Ryūteki**: A repeating arquebus invented by the Kunitomo forge during the Edo period, available in 3, 5, 6, 8, and 20-shot versions, capable of firing in rapid succession. It ranged from 60 to 100 centimeters in length and weighed 3 to 10 kilograms.

**Data 3: Common Weapons Introduction**

- **Bow (China, Huaxia)**: Range 100m-150m

- **Tread Bow (China, Spring and Autumn Period)**: Range unknown

- **Crossbow (China, Han Dynasty)**: Range 150m-250m

- **Repeating Crossbow (China, Han Dynasty)**: Range 50m-100m

- **Crossbow (Japan, Heian Period)**: Range 80m-250m

- **Maruki Bow (Japan, Jōmon to Warring States Period)**: Range 50m-100m

- **Shenbi Bow (China, Song Dynasty)**: Range 150m-800m

- **Heavy Yumi (Japan, Nanboku-chō Period)**: Range 80m-180m

- **Fire Lance (China, Song Dynasty)**: Range 5m-10m

- **Five Thunder God Machine (China, Song Dynasty)**: Range 100m-200m

- **Guaizi Chong (China, Song Dynasty)**: Range 50m-100m

- **Lift Gun (China, Song Dynasty)**: Range 100m-300m

- **Bow-tai Bow (Japan, Late Muromachi Period)**: Range 200m-300m

- **Three-eyed Gun (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 50m-200m

- **Ten-eyed Gun (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 50m-150m

- **Kabutozutsu (Japan, Late Warring States Period)**: Range 5m-30m

- **Shenqiang (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 100m-500m

- **Xunlei Chong (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 100m-200m

- **Tanegashima (Japan, Warring States Period)**: Range 100m-300m

- **Multi-shot Rocket (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 500m-800m

- **Bird Gun (China, Ming Dynasty)**: Range 100m-200m

- **Repeating Arquebus (Japan, Edo Period)**: Range 50m-100m

- **Keshi-bi (Japan, Edo Period)**: Range 5m-10m

---

**End of Page**