Today, we would like to talk about the transition from guns to fireworks in Okazaki.

 

Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa was born in 1542 and in the following year of 1543, guns were introduced to Japan by Portugal. 

 

This introduction of guns had a great effect and changed the course of history in Japan. Guns were used as part of war tactics and have contributed to end the “sengoku” period. After the death of Hideyoshi,  Ieyasu was able to achieve a peaceful era.

 

A gun expert Naoie Inatomi was invited by Ieyasu to Sunpu in Shizuoka Prefecture to make use of his knowledge. However, he stuck to the usage of the gun itself and did not try to use his knowledge for other use. It was after his death that his knowledge was passed on as 三河花火 “Mikawa hanabi (fireworks)” and was enjoyed and appreciated in the peaceful era.     

 

It is said that Ieyasu just asked Naoie to teach him how to use the guns. It was their firearm troops that returned to Okazaki and transformed the technique to the fireworks and made use for peace. During the Edo period, the fireworks production technique was protected strictly by the Shogunate. It was the Mikawamanzai (Travelling entertainer that performs Manzai across Japan originated in Aichi area) introduced fireworks to each local region in Japan.

 

Translated from the book 『すなおじゃないけど、ひねくれてるわけでもなく』written by 深田正義 Masayoshi Fukada

ARCHIVE