Takashima Shūhan
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese samurai and military engineer. He is significant in having started to import flintlock
guns from the Netherlands at the end of Japan's period of Seclusion
, during the Late Tokugawa Shogunate. Throughout his life Takashima Shūhan was one of those early Japanese reformists who argued for the modernization of Japan in order to better resist the West. His experience was close to that of Sakuma Shōzan
, who was also attacked for adopting Western ideas.
at all cost ("Don't think twice" policy, 異国船無二念打払令), managed to obtain some weapons through the Dutch
at Dejima
, such as field guns, mortar
s and firearms. The guns were known in Japan as Geweer (gun in Dutch) from the 1840s.
Various domains sent students to learn from Takashima in Nagasaki. They came from Satsuma Domain, after the intrusion of an American warship in 1837 in Kagoshima Bay
, and from Saga Domain
and Chōshū Domain, both southern domains exposed to Western intrusions. These domains also studied the manufacture of Western weapons, and by 1852 Satsuma and Saga had reverbatory furnaces to produce the iron necessary for firearms.
, or Senior Administrator, for the city of Nagasaki
. From 1840, following the outbreak of the Opium War
in China
, Takashima appealed to the Shogunate to reinforce Japan's military capabilities. The war in China had made clear that traditional ways were not sufficient to keep the Westerners at bay, and that radical modernization was needed to be able to resist.
Takashima Shūhan established two companies of infantry equipped with guns, as well as one artillery battery, making him Japan's first modern student of Western arms. In 1841, Takashima Shūhan caught the attention of Bakufu official Egawa Tarōzaemon. Takashima made a demonstration with 125 men, using Dutch Rangaku
texbooks and Dutch commands for drilling. He demonstrated the use of four cannons and 50 Western guns.
In 1843, Takashima was vindicated, as the Bakufu authorized the usage of Western guns for defenses.
In 1862, Takashima Shūhan recommended that Japan equip itself with 200 warships in order to repel the foreign naval threat. This led the Shogunate to authorize each domain to manufacture or purchase their own ships in order to reinforce Japan's naval capabilities.
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
guns from the Netherlands at the end of Japan's period of Seclusion
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
, during the Late Tokugawa Shogunate. Throughout his life Takashima Shūhan was one of those early Japanese reformists who argued for the modernization of Japan in order to better resist the West. His experience was close to that of Sakuma Shōzan
Sakuma Shozan
sometimes called Sakuma Zōzan, was a Japanese politician and scholar of the Edo era. He was the son of a samurai, and a native of Shinshu in today's Nagano-ken.From the age of 23, he went to Edo and for 10 years studied Chinese sciences ....
, who was also attacked for adopting Western ideas.
Study of Western firearms
As a child of 10, Takashima Shūhan, the son of Nagasaki officials, was shocked by the violent demands made by the British frigate Phaeton in 1808. Takashima started to study Western guns and, after the 1825 Edict to expel foreignersEdict to Repel Foreign Vessels
The was a law passed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1825 to the effect that all foreign vessels should be driven away from Japanese waters.An example of the law being put into practice was the Morrison Incident of 1837, in which a merchant ship bearing Japanese citizens was fired upon.The law was...
at all cost ("Don't think twice" policy, 異国船無二念打払令), managed to obtain some weapons through the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
at Dejima
Dejima
was a small fan-shaped artificial island built in the bay of Nagasaki in 1634. This island, which was formed by digging a canal through a small peninsula, remained as the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the Edo period. Dejima was built to...
, such as field guns, mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
s and firearms. The guns were known in Japan as Geweer (gun in Dutch) from the 1840s.
Various domains sent students to learn from Takashima in Nagasaki. They came from Satsuma Domain, after the intrusion of an American warship in 1837 in Kagoshima Bay
Kagoshima Bay
is a deep inlet on the coast of Japan.Kagoshima Bay is on the south coast of the island of Kyūshū. The port city of Kagoshima and its well-protected harbor lie on the bays western coast....
, and from Saga Domain
Saga Domain
Saga Domain was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. Largely contiguous with Hizen Province on Kyūshū, the domain was governed from Saga Castle in the capital city of Saga by the Nabeshima clan of tozama daimyō...
and Chōshū Domain, both southern domains exposed to Western intrusions. These domains also studied the manufacture of Western weapons, and by 1852 Satsuma and Saga had reverbatory furnaces to produce the iron necessary for firearms.
Contacts with the Shogunate
In 1840, Takashima was made a toshiyoriToshiyori
A toshiyori is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association. Also known as oyakata, former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible...
, or Senior Administrator, for the city of Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
. From 1840, following the outbreak of the Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Takashima appealed to the Shogunate to reinforce Japan's military capabilities. The war in China had made clear that traditional ways were not sufficient to keep the Westerners at bay, and that radical modernization was needed to be able to resist.
Takashima Shūhan established two companies of infantry equipped with guns, as well as one artillery battery, making him Japan's first modern student of Western arms. In 1841, Takashima Shūhan caught the attention of Bakufu official Egawa Tarōzaemon. Takashima made a demonstration with 125 men, using Dutch Rangaku
Rangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
texbooks and Dutch commands for drilling. He demonstrated the use of four cannons and 50 Western guns.
In 1843, Takashima was vindicated, as the Bakufu authorized the usage of Western guns for defenses.
House arrest and rehabilitation
Takashima Shūhan established a school, but was heavily criticized by many, and ended up under house arrest from 1846 to 1853 under charges of subversion and treason. He returned to favour with the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1853, after which he became a military instructor for Bakufu forces in 1856.In 1862, Takashima Shūhan recommended that Japan equip itself with 200 warships in order to repel the foreign naval threat. This led the Shogunate to authorize each domain to manufacture or purchase their own ships in order to reinforce Japan's naval capabilities.