Sengoku battle ship

Battle ships in the Sengoku period

There was no organized navy but only pirates in the Sengoku period. When naval battles occurred, these pirates mainly fought as the Japanese navy. And roughly speaking, Japanese pirates were separated in two groups who plundered the coastal area of China and the Korean Peninsula, and who collected transit duties from merchant's ships which passed through the Inland Sea of Japan.

Battle ships in the Sengoku period

When it comes to the width of the Japanese ships, there were vessels which pull out to the open sea in the earlier times, because of the existence of trade with China. And the vessels carried around 100 people.

By contrast, the most popular battle ships in the Sengoku period carried only 20 people. This battle ship was enclosed by planks all around to protect against arquebus-bullets, but they hadn't other protecting devises and attacking facilities. It was very simple one and called "Kobaya".

Hull of the battle ship

There were some famous naval battles in the Sengoku period. However, the results of these battles were less important compared with land battles. The most famous naval battle in this period is "Kizugawaguchi-no-tatakai" or the naval battles at the estuary of Kizugawa river. This is outside of the Osaka bay.

In several time, Oda navy and Mouri navy fought directly at their forefront. Oda group ruled the central area of Japan and Mouri group owned the western region of Honsyu, the main island of Japan. Mouri navy was very famous at the time these battles occurred. Then Oda group organized new navy, and Oda navy failed at the first battle. Although Oda Nobunaga ordered to make big ships and they overwhelmed Mouri navy at the second battle. From the eyes of who knows the historical result, these battles were not so important, because land battles were fatal in this period.

models of Japanese-style ships

Types of battle ships in the Sengoku period were three, and they are called "Kobaya","Sekibune"and "Atakebune". What were the shapes of these battle ships? And what kind of capacity did they have?

There aren't original artifacts of them now. And only models and drawings which made in the Edo period are survived. Moreover, these are few so we have no other option but to suppose the genuine article. We visited a museum where big size models of the battle ships are displayed. They were made by referring to models which made in the Edo period. The museum is located in Shizuoka city, Shizuoka prefecture.


"Verkehr museum"

The name of the museum is "Verkehr museum". "Verkehr" means transportation in German. There had been the same kind of museum named "Naniwa-no-fune-no-jikuukan" in Osaka city, but, it had been closed in 2013. We suppose it's difficult to make visitors impressed and get many customers by displaying models only.

Verkehr museum

We studied other museums holding historical Japaese-style ship's models. These museums are very few even though we expand our visiting range all over Japan. Furthermore, we want to visit a museum where exhibit Japanese-style battle ship's models in the Sengoku period. So, finally, we find this museum after long research. 

Entrance of the museum

The museum is located in Shizuoka city Shizuoka prefecture. The transportation device to Shizuoka city will be Shinkansen super express by considering the travel time. Shinkansen super express between Shin-osaka and Shizuoka have 3 type selections. Among the selection, "Hikari" and "Kodama" only are possible. 

There is one "Hikari" and one "Kodama" every hour. The traveling time from Shin-osaka to Shizuoka is approximately 2 hours by "Hikari" and 2 hours and half by "Kodama".

And the most rapid Shinkansen "Mozomi" doesn't stop at Shizuoka station. If you hope to use "Mozomi" from Shin-osaka to Nagoya, it's also practicable. In that case, you transfer to "Kodama" at Nagoya station and use "Kodama" from Nagoya to Shizuoka, however, it takes 2 hours and half. Because you have to spend a little long transit time at Nagoya station.

From Shizuoka station to Shimizu station where the museum is located, approximately 10 minutes by JR local line. The frequency of service is every 10 minutes. So you need not wait long time. There is a bus line from Shimizu JR station to Verkehr museum. However, you can walk to the museum along a well-redeveloped promenade and it takes around 15 minutes. We recommend walking looking at Shimizu port and beautiful Fuji mountain, the most famous mountain in Japan.

At the museum

Inside of the museum is comparatively small, and 20 and many ship-models are exhibited there. These ship-models are around one-tenth scale model. If the original was 30 meters long, its model will be 3 meters. We can feel quite strong power from them.


Japanese-style ship in the Edo period

The attraction of the museum is 10 and more of wooden big-scale ship-models. There are 2 battle ship-models of the Sengoku period which we want to look at, and these are "Atakebune" and "Sekibune". Same kind of big-scale ship-models is exhibited at another museum in Nagasaki prefecture Kyusyu district, we also want to visit there in the future.  


"Atakebune"

A model of Atakebune

"Atakebune" is understood to mean the biggest battle ship with 30 to 50 meters long. It's difficult for us to realize the width of it by looking at the models. According to an explanation, 100th to 500th people were able to board this ship. And the big "Atakebune" was over 50 meters long. The shape of the ship was tubby. Under the deck, there were around three stories of rooms. The paddles were placed behind the overhanging body of the ship. So, rowers could row the ship avoiding the attack of enemies. The paddles were over 150, but these were invalid, and the ship had only week driving power. Because the rowers could row oars only in narrow ranges behind the overhanging wall of the ship. This shop fought against gathering enemy's small battle ships not by the driving power but by the firepower not moving in a battle area. In the center of the deck, there was a stall to be used for the commander's place. In the big Atakabune, its surface was like the turret of the castle. 

These battle ships were made in the end of the Sengoku period. The weapons of these ships were arquebuses and bows and arrows concurrently. In the big "Atakebune", cannon were also loaded. But the cannon was not from Europe but from Korea or China via Korea. The cannon from Korea was supposed to 140-milimeter caliber, so the cannon on "Atakebune" were also the same. The cannon balls were steel or stone and the effective range was supposed to be 200 to 300 meters. So, it frightened enemies mainly. And in very rare case, the ship which came too close to the effective range would be damaged by the attack. However, preparing time was very long, all in all it was not so effective.

The famous naval battles of "Atakebune" in Japan were only one case between Oda and Mouri at the estuary of Kizugawa river. The battles were fought twice. In the first battle, Oda navy was failed. Because Mouri's had many experiences and many weapons useful for the close combats. These were "Hourokudama" or a bomb-like ball, "Hiya" or arrows of fire and "Kumade" or spears useful to pull enemy's ships and more.

Thus, Oda navy prepared new battle ships called "Atakebune" to fight next time. Their feature was big size and height. In the second battle, Mouri navy couldn't board their enemy's ships when they fought against their enemy. Because Oda's ships were too big and too high to board during the battle time. 

Head of Atakebune

And also these ships were covered with steel surfaces to prevent flames spreading caused by "Hiya" and "Hourokudama". So, Oda navy overwhelmed Mouri navy completely. Some Europians who rode one of these ships after the second battle wrote that they were surprised at the volume and equipped weapons. Especially several cannon in front of the deck, it was immpressively written in their dairys. However, it was the only description of their attachments, so we suppose it was a little exaggerated.

Oda Nobunaga who ordered the introduction of "Atakebune" was also famous as the person who innovated land battle tactics by using many arquebuses. So, his success in the field of naval battles would be publicized too much. There was no further innovation in Oda's navy after the battles. As far as we know, other Sengoku Lords also didn't make innovation in the naval field during the Sengoku period. We think the introduction of a new naval weapon was unsuccessful.


"Sekibune"


A model of Sekibune

"Sekibune" was a middle size battle ship with 20 to 30 meters long. 50th to 150th people can board. And it was a commander's ship of the group of smaller battle ships, "Kobaya". Compared with "Atakebune", the hull was slender and the head was sharp to cut a feather. So, many books describe this ship was a good sailer.

At that time, the navy's tactics was only rushing into close-range of the enemy, boarding onto the commander's ship and conquering it. So the commander's ship was thought to avoid the rush of the enemy soldiers. Then its deck was made on a high place and the hull was top-heavy to move at a rapid pace.



Head of Sekibune

In spite of many favorable descriptions, it's doubtful that it was a good sailer. Honestly speaking, it was only a good sailer compared with "Atakebune".

Furthermore, its hull was not so strong to pull out of the outer sea. Accordingly, its territory became an inland sea and along the coast. The Inland Sea of Japan was the only field where "Sekibune" could be active.


"Kobaya"

A model of Kobaya in the Edo period

"Kobaya" was a small size battle ship with 10 to 20 meters long. 20th to 50th people can board. "Murakami Suigun", famous pirate group active in the Inland Sea of Japan used "Kobaya" as the battle ships. By contrast, "Kuki Suigun", another famous pirate group which obeyed Oda army group used "Kobaya" for scouting.

In this museum, there is a model of "Kobaya", but it's a Edo period style. Shipbuilding of large battle ships had prohibited in the Edo period, so the mainstream became "Kobaya". Like arquebuses, battle ships became outdated at the end of the Edo period. Because the Edo period experienced little war which occurred at the very beginning and the very ending, middle of the period was a peaceful time.


Naval battle against Korea

It's unfair if we finish our "Atakebune" article only with the description about the naval battles between Oda and Mouri. There was another episode which "Atakebune" wasn't be active in the end of the Sengoku period. That is called "Bunroku-Keicho-no-eki" or "Imjin War"(1592-1597). That was invasions of Korea by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi made enormous "Atakebune" to overwhelm the Korean navy. And also used pirates who had been plundered in the coastal area of the Korean peninsula as troops of Toyotomi navy. He made enormous convoy and aimed to have the mastery of the sea. He was satisfied with the quantity of battle ships and full of confidence in its power. But his confidence collapsed. Because his navy was completely defeated in "Kanzantou" naval battle (1592) which was an important battle occured in an early time of the war. 

The cause of Toyotomi's defeat or the cause of Korea's victory are several but the most important thing is effective use of the new weapon. We remember the land battle in Japan called "the battle in Nagashino" in which new weapon dominated other usual tactics. Just like that, "Kanzantou" naval battle proved the dominance of new tactics using a new weapon (cannon) in the naval battlefield. Before "the battle in Nagasino", opponent army was supposed to be the strongest and they would win the battle crushingly. Just like that, Toyotomi navy was considered that they were the strongest until just before the defeat in "Kanzantou" naval battle.

Toyotomi's navy thought that cannon was a weapon to make enemies frightened, so, they couldn't find further effective use of cannon in naval battles. Their tactics were still the same as the battle between Oda and Mouri 15 years before. Attacking with "Kobaya", comparatively small battle ships, they hitched ropes to their enemy's ships, rode them and fought close-range battle. This tactics had been proved to be unsuccessful in the naval battle between Oda and Mouri, but after that, there weren't major battles and nobody innovated naval battle tactics in Japan. Because there was no naval battle until this naval battle in 1592.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi soon understood the cause of his navy's defeat. That was the cannon's quantity and ability and the battle ship's mobility and defensiveness. So, he ordered his convoy to stay around the costal area. But fighting only costal area meant that they couldn't have the mastery of the sea of the Korean peninsula.


Neighborhood of the museum

To summarize after that, next ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu avoided active relationship abroad, so the attitude to battle ships also same. Tokugawa shogunate prohibited to construct "Atakebune" and narrowed need of "Sekibune". Thus, battle ships in the Edo period became "Kobaya" only. Speaking of battle ships of the Sengoku period, they went out without a big success during the Edo period. 

What was happened to the battle ships after the Sengoku period?
We'll study again at the Kanagawa University.
Go to "Lost battle ship"

At the end of the Edo period, Japan restarted the construction of battle ships. What was hiding behind the history? Go to "Battle ship at the end of the feudal era".

Japanese warriors depended on the weapon called "Teppo" in the Sengoku period. These were "Arquebuses" or matchlock guns. How they deveroped in Japan? If you would like to investigate the riddle, click here "Arquebus 1".