Battle ship at the end of the feudal era

This time, we'd like to describe battle ships at the end of the feudal era. The beginning of manufacturing of battle ships would start in the Sengoku (戦国) era (the Warring States period). Described previously, the manufacturing of battle ships was prohibited by the government at that time when the Edo (江戸) era began. And long time had passed until the restart of the production. 

The restart was very end of the Edo era, and also, after the incident named 'the arrival of Perry.' This incident was one of the very important occurrences in the Japan's long history. The history of the restart would be the re-beginning of the Japan's naval force, but more importantly, the beginning of the breakdown of the Edo shogunate. 

This story which happened 170 years ago isn't enough time-honored for some readers, however, at least, you would be surprised at many different eras the word 'battle ship' was associated.

Now, we'd overview the history of 'battle ships.' From the very beginning of the Japan's history, the relationship between Japan and China was inseparable.
The ships visited China in the very old time were supposed to be so-called large-ships. But we don't think these ships were the battle ships. Then, about 900 years ago (the end of the Heian (平安) era), several large scale battles were fought near the ocean (e.x. the Battle of Dannoura (壇ノ浦の戦い)). And many ships were used for the battles. 

These ships wouldn't be called 'battle ships,' because these were diverted merchant ships and multiple-purpose ships.

  
About 600 years ago (the Muromachi (室町) era), several large-ships were made for the international trade between Japan and China. 

Because the trade became active and Japanese people at that time wanted large-ships withstanding ocean voyages. And they were made for commerce but for battles. These ships' capacity was around 100 people.

Moreover, another kind of smaller ships for ocean voyages were produced in Japan near the Korean Peninsula. These ships were used for the piracy. We'd like to call the ships were the first battle ships made in Japan. 

Then the Sengoku era was came. And during this era, internal battles got more serious and enlarging of battle ships' size also became stimulated seriously. The first appeared battle ship was called 'Kobaya (小早).' They were made by pirates who were active in the Inland Sea (瀬戸内海). These groups made modifications to attack other ships. These ships had 10 to 20 meters length and the crews were 20 to 50.

According to enlarging of pirate group size, they came to develop the lager ships which were used to take commanders on. Then, the larger ships than 'Kobaya' were made and they were called 'Sekibune (関船).'
These ships had 20 to 30 meters length and the crews were 50 to 150.

And next, navy force people became to think that larger ships had advantages in the situation of navy battles. Then, they invented large ships which were called 'Atakebune (安宅船).' These ships had 30 to 50 meters length and the crews were 100 to 500. In particular, over 50 meters were especially called 'O-atakebune (大安宅船).'

 
In this era, Japanese battle ships were highly innovated. And numerous naval battles developed innovation, furthermore, famous episodes related with navy were created.

 
For instance, there was a tale in which Oda Nobunaga (織田信長) invented 'Atakebune' to battle against the Mouri (毛利) group. Because the Mouri group had many pirate subordinates and were assumed to have the dominance in the naval battle fields. So, Oda Nobunaga made 'Atakebune' (enormous sized battle ship) and the Oda (織田) group won the battle.

Then the trend of enlargement of battle ships was started. Let us tell you something, after the incident described above, no major naval battle happened in-country, especially between enlarged battle ships. So, we slightly doubt how epoch-making this Oda Nobunaga's invention was.

In this era, many European countries brought many ships withstanding ocean voyages for missionary work and international trade. For the sake of these activities, Japanese got arquebuses (matchlock guns) and cannons. These newly arrived weapons had impacts on civil wars in Japan. If we highlight the European countries' ships, they were merchant ships but battle ships. Even though merchant ships, they equipped many cannons and strong fighting capability better than all Japanese battle ships.

To our surprise, the parties involved (Japanese war-lords) didn't want to learn the secret of European ships. Why? Maybe, European side avoided to sell ships or instruct technologies, if somebody would have wanted to learn them.

At the end of this era, the civil war was over and Japan was reunited. 

And, Japanese warriors invaded the Korean Peninsula. They overestimated the ability of 'O-atakebune (大安宅船)' which got good results in the naval battle-fields in Japan.

However, the opposite way happened which they expected. 

In the first place, they needed to doubt the durability of their giant-ships when they voyaged to the Korean Peninsula. 

Because the situation was dramatically changed comparing the voyage of the Inland Sea. 

Furthermore, the naval battles themselves between Korean navy was also unexpected results. 

Japanese expected that larger battle ships would overwhelm smaller Korean battle ships.

The result was kind of tragedy. The opposite also happened. Before this invasion, Korean battle ships had already been fighting against Japanese pirates' battle ships long time. And Korean navy had developed firearms (cannons) to counteract 'Kobaya' (Japanese small scale battle ships). The ability of their firearms were also produced good results against Japan's giant battle ships.

While, Japanese battle ships had no experience with foreign navies. So, Japanese battle ships had added improvements against smaller firearms (matchlock guns) only. Japanese giant battle ships were active if the opposite navy also used matchlock guns.

And also, when Japanese bought cannons, the merchants were Europeans. So, they were rare and expensive. (On the other hand, Korean could buy cannons from China, so they had advantage according to equipment.) Japanese giant battle ships lost their dominance in the naval battle field around Korean coastal area. 

The end of the civil wars and the establishment of the Edo shogunate resulted in the stop of battle ships' production. To be specific, the shogunate ordered prohibition on building large ships. It was the order to 'Daimyo (大名)' (feudal lords). The shogunate prohibited larger size ships above a certain scale. And they declared that if some 'Daimyo' violated the order, they would attack the 'Daimyo'.

 

The prohibition of larger size ships caused trouble for the domestic marine transportation. So, the prohibition didn't apply only for merchant ships and the productions of them were allowed. However, these newly made merchant ships were used only for the domestic use. So, extreme enlargement didn't happen during the Edo era. For instance, large size merchant ship named 'Sengokubune (千石船)' had less than 30 meters length and the crews were 10 to 15. If we compare 'Sengokubune' with the battle ships in the Sengoku era, it will be 'Sekibune.'

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Very important incident for the Japanese history happened in 1853. It was the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry. (He was one of the most famous foreigner of Japan because of the impact of this incident.) Soon after the incident, the order of prohibition of larger size ships was canceled. (The order had notified in 1609.) At the result, Japanese battle ships' production restarted after 244 years.

　
Perry fleet's action was a business activity to expand their market for USA. On the other hand, for Japanese at that time, it was the changing the status quo by force. So, majority of them couldn't accept Perry's request. 
  
Even though Japanese government had been choosing the closed-door policy, they had information connecting foreign ships. After 1853, because of the prohibition's cancellation they restarted the construction of a battle ship using technology of western countries.

This battle ship was 'Houo (鳳凰)' (1854). It had 36 meters length and equipped 10 cannons but not equipped a steam engine. And expected crew number isn't clear. According to the Internet, it was handed over. We suppose the meaning of 'handed over' is 'transferred to certain private sector. (For your information, 'USS Susquehanna' which was the flagship of the Perry fleet had 76 meters length equipped 9 cannons and the crews were about 300.)

The fact they could construct 'Houo' means they already had the knowledge and capability of constructing western ships. However, 'Houo' was a western style sailing ship but speaking of details, constructing technique of Japanese style ships was used widely. And more than anything, they didn't have the knowledge and capability of constructing steam engine ships. 

The first steam engine ship of Japan was 'Kanko (観光)' which had presented from Netherland in 1855. And, it had 53 meters length and 6 cannons, and made in 1850. (Finally, it was demolished in 1876.)

We'd like to introduce the most famous Japanese steam engine ship, 'Kanrin (咸臨).' Japanese government at that time (= the Edo shogunate) bought it from Netherland in 1857. It traveled across the Pacific Ocean by only Japanese crews in 1859.

 
Purpose of the travel was to exchange an instrument of treaty ratification. And to show the ability of the Japanese navy, they tried the dangerous travel. The ship safely arrived in San Francisco. The Japanese navy could show off the ability of them to the world.

 

There were only 8 years from the great job of 'Kanrin' to the end of the feudal era. During this time, the shogunate and 'Daimyo,' regional feudal lords bought many western style battle ships and built up their military forces. The number of battle ships was over 110. Many of them were steam engine ships and around 30 were sailing ships.

In this period of time, there wasn't a battle between Japanese battle ships and foreign battle ships. But, between Japanese battle ships, happened several times.

 
For instance, the shogunate battle ships fought against Daimyo's battle ships in 1866. Furthermore, after the Edo shogunate abandoned the government, the remnants of the shogunate stole the battle ships. The remnants' battle ships fought against the new government's battle ships in 1868. 

If we talk about what lay ahead at the end of the feudal era, next era was the Meiji (明治). During the Meiji era, the next government prioritized ruling of the ocean around the Japanese archipelago.

During the Japanese-Russo War, a world-famous naval battle happened (The battle of the Sea of Japan). However, it happened after the end of the samurai's era.

   
We suppose the battle ships' history at the end of the feudal era was the history changing the status quo by foreign force. It was start from zero. So, we think Japanese government at that time was quite good. 

However, if someone say they did nothing noticeable, we cannot counter.

 

Lost battle ship

Now, we are visiting the exhibition room named 'the collection of the Wasen laboratory'. Looking at the exhibitions, we want to review the history of Wasen or Japanese wooden ships. We wrote an article about the battle ships in the Sengoku period before. Now, we want to write a little more about them and find the reason why 'the Sengoku battle ships' were lost, or moved into decline.  

exhibition room named 'the collection of the Wasen laboratory'

We think the reason is associated with the history of Japanese ships until then. Japanese style ships were uniquely developed after many years. And the most typical feature was 'flat bottom structure'. It was effective even in the battlefield in domestic ocean. However, in a big battle in the foreign ocean, Japanese battle ships exposed a weak point at the end of the Sengoku period. Because the flat bottom structure was weak against a big impact made by enemy ships' body check and a damage from cannon balls. They were disadvantageous in the combat areas of the ocean.

To find out the reason why the Japanese style ships achieved this form, we want to look back on the history of them roughly. The oldest ocean-going ships were made in the purpose of trade and transaction with China approximately 1400 years ago. But these ships were imitations of Chinese style. Own unique development of Japanese ships was supposed to begin in the latter half of the Heian period (approximately 1000 years ago). Then, a big domestic war happened between the Genji group and the Heishi group then. They fought each other around an inland sea of Japan, and it was a trigger.

Next several hundreds years, ships were not important in the battles. So, the development of Japanese ships was not achieved during these days. Next development came from a need to trade with China in the Muromachi period (approximately 600 years ago). For the purpose, they needed big ships which could travel to China through the ocean. Then, there was a development making big scale ships.

This development leaded to the investment of "the Atake ship"in the Sengoku period. And, it was an unrivaled ship in the domestic sea of Japan during this period. However, this big ship had a weak point, and it had an awful defeat in the war against neighboring foreign country. After this war, the government banned to make these big ships. That avoids the battles of the ocean, and there was no development of the battle ships in Japan during the Edo period (approximately 400 years to 150 years ago).   

From a memory of Verkehr museum

During the Edo period, the development of ships was concentrated on the domestic trade around Japan. The famous Kitamae ships were developed then. We visited the Wasen Research Institution's collection exhibition room in the Kanagawa University in the Kanagawa prefecture. These history we explain above are displayed in this room with many models of ships. 

To visit the Wasen Research Institution's collection exhibition room in the university, you'd better use Shinkansen super express. Getting out at Shin-Yokohama station, you transfer to the JR Yokohama line. Then, get out at the next station, Kikuna, and transfer again to To-yoko private line for Yokohama. Only 1 station before you get out at Hakuraku.

One of streets in front of the station is a shopping street toward the Kanagawa University. We suppose the university is deeply accepted by people in this town. You can arrive there belong to a stream of people, but, you may double-check Google Map. Riding from Shin-Yokohama to Hakuraku by 20 minutes or so, and from the gateway of the Hakuraku station to an entrance of the university is about the same.


An examination about the defeat

We want to reconsider why the Atake ships were defeated in the battle of the outer ocean in the Sengoku period. Even though they were unrivaled among the domestic ocean. The most important reason is lower level development as the wooden battle ships because of less experience. The Atake ships were active in the inland sea, the Setonaikai sea. Less experience leaded misunderstanding that making heavy armor around the whole ship would overwhelm speed. So, they had less capacity of moving that ended up becoming a fatal weak point in the battle field of the ocean. If they experienced battles which needed ships' speed, they would focus it.  

There was another weak point in the body of the Japanese battle ship at that time. Because it developed from a trade ship during the Muromachi period, they didn't notice its weakness of the body. Japanese ships' bottoms were made flat being different from other foreign wooden ships. They had a weakness when a big vibration such as a collision with other ships made their body's water tightness lost. When they had fought against small ships in the domestic battles, they had no problem about their body. However, when they fought against bigger foreign ships, the impact of collisions made their bodies broken. Compared with Japanese battle ships, foreign battle ships bore the vibrations.

There was another weak point in the body of the Japanese battle ship at that time. Because it developed from a trade ship during the Muromachi period, they didn't notice its weakness of the body. Japanese ships' bottoms were made flat being different from other foreign wooden ships. They had a weakness when a big vibration such as a collision with other ships made their body's water tightness lost. When they had fought against small ships in the domestic battles, they had no problem about their body. However, when they fought against bigger foreign ships, the impact of collisions made their bodies broken. Compared with Japanese battle ships, foreign battle ships bore the vibrations.

Furthermore, Japanese battle ships mainly had arquebuses but few canons in them. However, foreign battle ships had many canons. Japanese battle ships had few experiences fired by canons on the battle field of the ocean. This was the first experience for the Japanese ships getting canon balls directly. Japanese wooden battle ships' bodies were not made by thick boards. So, they were broken widely by one hit of enemies canon balls, and if they were hit, soon sank.  

Swordsmith of Katana

At Seki swordsmithing museum. The gist is follows:
1. Swordsmithing by Katana Kaji or Japanese swordsmith.
2. Other professionals' work manufacturing Japanese sword
3. We joined experiential learning of swordsmithing and...
4. Swords are the most important weapon in Japan. And there are several
    manufacturing districts. Seki is one of them and is influential...

Japanese swordsmithing by a traditional method.

Three young boys are standing surrounding their master. They have sledgehammer one by one and are awaiting the signal of their master. Soon, a glowed iron ingot is brought out from highly-heated charcoal. The master hits a small work-table with his hammer as a signal what will happen next. As soon as the iron ingot is put on the working table, the first sledgehammer's stroke brings down on it. Sparks come off in all direction even at our feet 10 meters away from the table. Audiences' commotion fills all around the venue. 

Second and third strokes are thrown down in no time. Every moment, the glowed iron sparkles and it is forged bit by bit. This is a scene of an event viewing a performance of sword-forging by real swordsmith. The Seki Kaji Densho-kan museum at Seki city, Gifu prefecture holds this event several times a year. 

  
We were very much inspired by this event, so, we also joined an experiential tour and enriched our understanding about Japanese swordsmith. During the tour, we experienced forging real iron ingots heated to high temperature, and engraved on a surface of products. After practising, we grabbed real Japanese swords in our hands. 

Seki Kaji Densho-kan

Our's was an one-day experiential tour, but contents are changeable by demands of participants. And some enthusiastic group will experience a few days tour includes a series of simulations to make one whole product. Even though we experienced only one-day, we were deeply impressed going into the world of Japanese sword we had never met.


How to manufacture Japanese swords?

Seki city is one of the five districts where are famous as producing "Katana" or Japanese swords. We learned this information from the real swordsmith who lectured us. We weren't familiar with history of swordsmiths' groups before this tour. But, experiencing this tour, we learned "Katana" had played important roles here and there in Japanese history. Japanese swords have been made by "Katana-kaji" or swordsmiths. What do they actually take part in a process of making Japanese swords? We want to consider this question first. 

Japanese sword can be separated in several parts but its main item is a crescent moon shape, shining silver mass of iron. These weapons were used by Sengoku warriors killing each other especially during the period of the warring states. The special feature of them is single-sided processing to cut somebody down and another side is not processed to do but to protect the owner of it. The side of cutting is slightly warped, and total shape also becomes curved shape.

They have a large number of shapes which are different depending on their production periods. For example, the oldest one's feature is a double-edged blade. And the next oldest one's is a single-edged blade which has a big curve and the very long length. Roughly saying, curves in the blades became lessen and the length also became shorter with the progress of the time. So, we can guess their production periods from their shapes.

It's not completed by only its body but also by many items to decorate. We can explain only a few major ones next, even though there are many.

"Togi" work is to sharpen a sword body forged by swordsmith using a variety of whetstones and to make its brilliance and beauty revealed.

"Tsuka" work is to make a hilt or a handle of a sword by wrapping in shark skin and coiling braids on it.

"Tsuba" work is to make a handguard with steel which separate a hint and a blade and that is also beautifully chiseled.

"Shirogane" work is to make connecting area between a blade and a hint.

"Saya" work is to make a scabbard which sheathes a sword.


These items are made by each specialist, and they are belonging to professional groups across several generations. It's a composite art made by a variety of specialists. 

Person who produces blades from raw steel materials is "Katana-kaji" or swordsmith. When someone orders a Japanese sword, the swordsmith-master undertakes the whole work in his responsibility. Firstly, he makes a blade until the states roughly finished. And, following his work, many specialists (we mentioned in the previous paragraph) make other parts of it. In this way, a Japanese sword is made by flawless division of work. It takes about half a year to finish the whole work usually. 

First of all, we will follow swordsmith's work roughly. Stone-like superimposed lump of steel (raw material of a blade) is prepared at the beginning. The lump decrepitates by charcoals heated to high temperature, then refined by hitting with sledgehammers. In this section, the master uses some apprentices in hitting process. By hitting it, impurities are expelled as sparks. This lump is extended, bent and folded several times over 10 or so. The steel lump becomes pure and strong by going through this process. This is a first step of making a blade. 

In the second step, the master splices several forged steel lumps which have different hardness characteristics (hard, relatively hard, durable and soft). This process is called 'Katame' or hardening. And in the third step, he extends the hardened steel lump into a shape of a sword. It's called 'Sunobe' or molding. 
Finally, with tempering and forging, he makes up a roughly finished product.

Then, process which swordsmith produces is ended, and the next process will be done by another professional. Next processes continue at the hands of many professionals, and after a long process, an artistic Japanese sword is completed. 

'Togi-shi' or a sharpener of sword; he whels and sharpens a forged sword until it shines beautifully.

'Tsukamaki-shi' or a handle craftsman; he wraps the handle of a sword in shark skin and coils wonderfully with fine silk braids.

'Tsuba-shi' or a handleguard craftsman; he makes the handleguard with a steel plate drilling holes, engraving patterns and other many techniques.

'Shirogane-shi'; he makes 'Habaki' or area connecting the blade to the handle and ’Kozuka' or accessory knife and so on.

'Saya-shi' or a sheath craftsman; he makes the scabbard for storing a sword.

Subsequently, we mention our experiential learning at Seki Kaji Densho-kan. We experienced only a little part of swordsmith's work. Forging a lump of steel, hitting by a sledgehammer, making a clump of charcoal which used tempering the lump of steel. And, engraving a surface of steel (swordsmiths engrave their names on the edge of their products). On our tours, total learning time was just one day, and practice time was only few hours excluding description time. There wasn't enough time in one day tour to do a big deal.

This tour was contrived by the museum. Only 10 participants were able to join this experiential learning. And, two active swordsmiths taught and assisted us during this tour. Not only experience swordsmith's work, but also appreciated real Japanese swords holding our own hands (It's a special bonus for the participants).

Who can join this tour? 
Also elementary school students could join it, if they were in the upper grades.

How much? 
The participation fee for one attendant was 25,000 yen (230 US$), very expensive.


History of Japanese swordsmith

When Japanese people began to produce swords of Japanese style? The origin was not clear. We heard that the first steel sword in ancient Japan was produced around 500 A.D.. It is said that Japanese people started sword-making by imitating imported Chinese swords. Early style swords were double-edged blades and the next style changed single-edged blades with a big curve. Because of this innovation, original Japanese swords were born.

Tachi

This sword which has single-edged blade with a big curve is called 'Tachi'. Swords called 'Tachi' were produced around 1000 A.D.. We can admit 'Tachi' style swords are Japanese style ones. On the other hand, we cannot find the difference between the oldest Japanese swords which had double-edged blades and the Chinese ones.


Katana

When 'Tachi' were active, 'Tachi' and bow-and-arrow were principal weapons in the battle fields. But a long time went on, in the Sengoku period when battles occurred everyday, offensive weapons were shifted to arquebuses and spears. This caused the next change of Japanese swords. They were changed from 'Tachi' for cavalry battles to 'Katana' for infantry battles. To be specific, blade length was shortened to around 70 centimeters and curve became narrow.

By the way, Swordsmiths were gathered in typical several areas depending on periods.There were 5 famous groups around the archipelago. The oldest group was 'Yamato-den' in Nara prefecture. They flourished when a capital located in Nara. The second one was 'Yamashiro-den' in Kyoto prefecture. They moved from Nara because of the transfer of the capital.

The third one was 'Bizen-den' in Okayama prefecture. The reason they flourished was abundant good-quality raw materials of steel near there. Their heyday was around 1100s. We suppose 'Heike' clan originally lived around this area made a big empire in the last few decades of 1100. So, there would be a relationship with them. And the next one was 'Soushu-den' in Kanagawa prefecture. They flourished from 1200s to 1300s. Because there was the center of the Kamakura Shogunate. The final one was 'MIno-den' in Gifu prefecture, and flourished from 1400s to 1500s. Swords mass-made here conquered every battle field during the Sengoku period. 

We don't use 'Katana' in actual purpose now. And consider them as one of art and evaluate their value as art objects. Famous swords were also collecting targets even during the Sengoku period when they were used as general weapons. Famous Sengoku Lords such as Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyashi collected many top-ranking swords and were proud of their collections. So, Japanese swords were regarded as the collecting items from that time.

The beauty of Japanese swords
When we appreciate Japanese swords, these are marked as artifacts nowadays, we have numerous ways to appreciate them. For example, fans evaluate them by the shape of blades such as curve, length, top. And they consider 'Hamon' and 'Hada' as important appreciating points, which are kind of patterns of blades caused mainly by forging. These points are extremely important whether these are first-class or not.

Fans are attracted by not only the blades but also other parts of the swords. Some collectors concentrate into 'Tsuba' or handgardes. Designs of 'Tsuka' or handles of the swords and 'Saya' or scabbards' moldings are sometimes featured as main items of art exhibitions.

When we go back to the beginning of Japanese swords, they are only weapons to kill human beings. However, especially in the process of making them, excessive pursuit of beauty was and is finished up. This two-sideness makes them contradictory products but also ultimately charming. More specifically, their curve and form make them strong and also give them the beauty.


How to visit Seki city?

Seki city is a middle-sized city in the center of Gifu prefecture and it has beautiful nature around the city. On the other hand, traffic convenience to visit there is not good because of the positional relation. This city is in the mountainous region in a central district of Japan.

Nagaragawa-tetsudo

For your information, our experiential learning started at 10 AM. We barely managed to arrive in time riding the first train. 

From an observatory in the Asakura mountain at the center of Seki city, we looked out over the city area. The scenery was not so unusual and several mountains near the city area.

Seki city