2017年11月7日火曜日

Feature Exhibition: Guns and Kuroda Family

-History of Guns so Valuable That They Were Given Names-


The Kuroda Family of Chikuzen Fukuoka Clan joined numerous battles in an attempt to unify the whole country. For the family, which gained reputation through winning in battles, matchlock guns and new weapons were really valuable. The matchlock guns can particularly be used for hunting and the acquisition of a firing technique was essential for the samurai warriors during the Edo Period.


Even in the succeeding period, when Japan was under the national isolation policy and unification, fire weapons, including guns, were really important for the aforementioned Fukuoka Clan, who is in charge of guarding the international port of Nagasaki, which was the only port opened to overseas at that time. From the latter half of the Edo period to the time of the Meiji restoration, the Fukuoka clan decided to install western style guns to protect Fukuoka against outer and domestic threats. The installation later posed significant impact on military and political decisions made by the clan.



This exhibition features guns owned by the Kuroda family including treasure guns named “Taro-bou” and “Jiro-bou”, which were in possession of Kuroda Nagamasa, the first lord of the clan. These two guns are borrowed from Fukuoka City Art Museum, which is currently closed for renovation. We will also be showing related artifacts such as the certificate of gunnery that was obtained by Kuroda Nagamasa.

Posted by Takamura

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