Samurai Weapons and Fighting Techniques

Thomas D. Conlan is Professor of East Asian Studies & History at Princeton University. He was formerly Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Bowdoin College, Maine. A graduate in Japanese History from the Universities of Michigan and Kyoto, he was awarded his Ph.D from Stanford University in 1998. His books include The Violent Order of Fourteenth Century Japan.

• 1. Introduction This chapter offers an overview of the medieval Japanese world and a guide to the typical battlefield and the armies that populated it. This chapter also explores the development of the professional warrior and how that role changed through time.2. The Mounted Samurai Most Samurai fought on horseback, although they never had the impact of mounted knights in Europe. This chapter examines the tactics, equipment, armour and weaponry of the mounted Samurai.3. Skirmishers This chapter covers the introduction of dismounted samurai, ashigaru men-at-arms wielding pikes, naginatas and swords, and the use of foot archers.4. Pikemen The introduction of the pike and pike formations in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries revolutionized warfare in Japan and allowed commanders to deploy much larger armies that could challenge the traditional dominance of the mounted Samurai.5. Commanders In the fifteenth century tactics and strategy came to the fore, especially during the Onin Wars of the 1460s and 1470s. This chapter explores the generalship of the era.6. Firearms With the arrival the Portuguese and European weaponry in the 1540s, Japanese commanders were quick to deploy arquebus troops, who had a decisive impact at battles such as Nagashino (1575) and the siege of Osaka (1615).7. Artillery Although gunpowder artillery was in its infancy, and only really useful in sieges due to the long reloading times and lack of accuracy, they still played an important role. Trebuchets were also used as anti-personnel weapons.Glossary Index