is a type of traditional Japanese pyrotechnic device and

fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

projector similar to a

flamethrower A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World W ...

History

The chronicle preserved at records the first use of fireworks in Mikawa in 1558. Pyrotechnic signal

flare A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala, bengalo in several European countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illuminatio ...

s were used during the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

. The of 1741 states that ''tezutsu-hanabi'' were presented to

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

Edo Castle is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is therefore also known as . Tokugawa Ieyasu established th ...

in 1613, just before the

Siege of Osaka A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

. It is believed that the gunnery corps of the

Tokugawa clan The is a Japanese dynasty which produced the Tokugawa shoguns who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868 during the Edo period. It was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of ...

brought back knowledge of pyrotechnics when they returned to

Mikawa Province was an Provinces of Japan, old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari Province, O ...

in the early

17th century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCI), to December 31, 1700 (MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized ...

. Ieyasu entrusted his

retainer Retainer may refer to: * Retainer (orthodontics), devices for teeth * RFA Retainer (A329), RFA ''Retainer'' (A329), a ship * Retainers in early China, a social group in early China Employment * Retainer agreement, a contract in which an employer p ...

s from Mikawa, the , with the mass production of

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...

, and because of this, it is said, Mikawa became the home of many advances in pyrotechnics. ''Tezutsu-hanabi'' are prepared for many shrine festivals, including those at

Toyokawa is a Cities of Japan, city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famou ...

's and

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. Durin ...

's Tejikarao Shrine, a shrine to Amenotajikarao, where they have been used since at least the 1760s.

Characteristics of the ''tezutsu-hanabi'' projector

''Tezutsu-hanabi'' are prepared by local amateurs who have obtained a license to do so. Structurally, the projector is a roughly 100-80 centimeter long cartridge made of ''mōsō'' bamboo reinforced with rope and packed with a mixture of slow-burning

and

iron powder Iron powder has several uses; for example production of magnetic alloys and certain types of steels. Iron powder is formed as a whole from several other iron particles. The particle sizes vary anywhere from 20-200 μm. The iron properties dif ...

. When the fuse is lit, a jet of fire is released while the projector is held in a daunting pose. At the end of the performance, the projector is hefted and flipped around as the bottom explodes in a brief secondary ignition called a . However, in some regions including Shizuoka, the ''hane'' may be less dramatic or absent altogether.

External links

Documentary on ''Tezutsu-hanabi'' by the Mikkabi Tezutsu-hanabi Preservation Society

References

{{authority control Japanese inventions Technology in Medieval Japan Fireworks Flamethrowers of Japan

History

Characteristics of the ''tezutsu-hanabi'' projector

See also

External links

References