地域観光資源の 多言語解説文データベース

Division of Duties: Crafting Ammunition

As firearms became more common in the second half of the sixteenth century, the job of producing musket balls and match cord fell to the wives and daughters of samurai.

Lead musket balls were cast from molds using lead ingots melted over small braziers. Each matchlock musket required shot of a specific size. This could be anywhere from about four millimeters in diameter, for small pistols, to more than 80 millimeters for heavy, cannon-like ōzutsu.

Early match cords were braided together from cypress or bamboo fibers. The natural oils in these fibers kept them burning slowly, but the cords took a long time to dry if they got wet. Eventually, wood-fiber cords gave way to cords woven from cotton and soaked in a solution of lye and saltpeter.

Like the match cord solution, gunpowder itself can be mixed using different ratios of saltpeter, wood ash, and sulfur. Certain ratios produced better or worse results, and braiding techniques and mixing ratios were therefore considered valuable military secrets.

Matsumoto Castle and Guns

Matsumoto Castle was built for the age of musket and cannon warfare. Its wooden walls were coated in thick, protective layers of plaster, and the Great Keep has 55 musket loopholes through which gunners could fire down on attackers. The layout of the castle grounds was calculated to ensure gunners in the keep could reliably hit targets attempting to cross the inner moat, 60 meters away.

Matsumoto Castle’s loopholes are square. Their openings are wider on the interior than the exterior, a design that allows for a broad shooting arc while minimizing the gunner’s exposure to enemy fire. Firing from the castle, a skilled sharpshooter using a specially made long-barreled matchlock could hit a target up to 300 meters away.

彈藥製造的分工協作

隨著火繩槍在16世紀下半葉的普及，製作火繩槍彈藥和火繩的工作落到了武士的妻子與女兒們的身上。

火繩槍的鉛彈是將鉛錠放入小火盆中融化，然後倒入模具中製作而成。當時需要製作與各種火繩槍匹配的彈丸，從直徑4毫米左右供小手槍使用的小彈珠，到80毫米以上匹配類似加農炮這樣重型武器「大筒」的彈丸不等。

早期的火繩是使用柏木或竹纖維編製而成。這些纖維中的天然油脂可以保障火繩緩慢燃燒，只是一旦受潮，就得花費很長時間才能重新乾燥。最終，竹木纖維的火繩被浸過鹼水和硝石溶液的棉繩取代。

同火繩浸泡液一樣，火藥本身雖然都是以硝石、木灰和硫磺混合而成，配方比例卻各有不同。不同的配比決定了火藥威力的大小，因此，火繩的編織技術與火藥的配方比例都被視為重要的軍事機密。

松本城與鐵砲

松本城的興建是順應了火繩槍與加農炮的時代需求。它的木頭城牆表面覆蓋著厚厚的灰泥保護層，作為建在城郭中樞的多層塔樓，天守設有55個供火繩槍向下方開火的「狹間」（箭窗）。城郭布局經過了精密計算，確保天守內的火槍手可以命中60公尺外試圖越過最裡側護城河「內堀」的入侵者。

松本城的狹間為正方形，開口形狀內闊外窄，可在充分保障射擊角度的同時，最大限度減少火槍手暴露在敵人火力下的危險。訓練有素的火槍手使用特製長筒火繩槍從天守內開火，可以準確命中300公尺以外的目標。

弹药制造的分工协作

随着火绳枪在16世纪下半叶的普及，制作火绳枪弹药和火绳的工作落到了武士的妻子与女儿们的身上。

火绳枪的铅弹是将铅锭放入小火盆中融化，然后倒入模具中制作而成。当时需要制作与各种火绳枪匹配的弹丸，有直径4毫米左右供小手枪使用的小弹珠，也有80毫米以上匹配类似加农炮这样重型武器“大筒”的弹丸。

早期的火绳使用柏木或竹纤维编制而成。这些纤维中的天然油脂可以保障火绳缓慢燃烧。只是一旦受潮，就需要花费很长时间才能重新干燥。最终，竹木纤维的火绳被浸过碱水和硝石溶液的棉绳取代。

同火绳浸泡液一样，火药本身虽然都是以硝石、木灰和硫磺混合而成，配方比例却各有不同。不同的配比决定了火药威力的大小，因此，火绳的编织技术与火药的配方比例都被视为重要的军事机密。

松本城与铁砲

松本城是顺应了火绳枪与加农炮时代的需求而建。它的木头城墙表面覆盖着厚厚的灰泥保护层，作为建在城郭中枢的多层塔楼，天守设有55个供火绳枪向下方开火的“狭间”（箭窗）。城郭布局经过了精密计算，确保天守内的火枪手可以准确命中60米外、试图越过最里侧护城河“内堀”的来犯者。

松本城的狭间为正方形，开口形状内阔外窄，可在充分保障射击角度的同时，最大限度减少火枪手暴露在敌人火力下的危险。训练有素的火枪手使用特制长筒火绳枪从天守内开火，可以准确命中300米开外的目标。