Japanese archery

[S J Donovan]

Overall how good were Samurai, Monk and peasant archers?

[Patrice]

Perhaps a can of worms... 

Samurais were very well trained and able to shoot well on horseback. Japanese bows seem much less powerful than steppe bows (or than late medieval European longbows) but there are disagreements about this and perhaps a few strong individuals had powerful bows...

[tangarex]

Peasants hasn't bows at all. It was forbidden to them to have martial stuff. Maybe you mean ashigaru? They were regular infantry with just basic training. Some of them may have individual talent for archery, but they dissolve in mass.

[S J Donovan]

OK, so no farmers/peasants with arms.  Not even to defend themselves? So then rakes and hoes only?
How would a countryside farming village defend itself against raiders?  Hire samurai?  How would armed monks fit in?

[commissarmoody]

Enjoy, these books should be nice interdiction to the subject.
https://ospreypublishing.com/japanese-warrior-monks-ad-949-1603

https://ospreypublishing.com/ashigaru-1467-1649-pb

https://ospreypublishing.com/samurai-the-world-of-the-warrior

https://ospreypublishing.com/the-samurai-pb

[Metternich]

During the Sengoku period peasants typically had makeshift arms (sharpened bamboo spears, wooden-headed mallets, rice sickles, rice flails, clubs, etc.), but potentially they could acquire a few spears and/or swords from wounded, isolated samurai "on the run" from a losing battle (note that in the movie The Seven Samurai, the peasant leader produces from a hidden cache some illicit arms and armor - obviously the samurai who had "provided" such weapons hadn't survived the encounter).  That said, during major uprisings some groups like the Ikko-ikki could field armed forces (but never as well armed as Bushi forces or even Temple Sohei), including even some armor and a limited number of teppos.  Note however that the Ikko-ikki were supported by some  monks, priests, merchants, and even some samurai and local lords who followed the same religious sect and could be found in their ranks. The ordinary village would not be so well equipped.  Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi each conducted "sword hunts" to confiscate weapons in peasant hands - the fact that they felt the necessity to do so indicates that there were weapons in the villages.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CZMrcqAk1o/UrufyOoNmeI/AAAAAAAAXMM/sMrrHPwBr94/s1600/25December201301.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nL0saq5IZ-U/UsXZgUMlxsI/AAAAAAAAX7w/i6rrJKDflCU/s1600/31December201314.jpg

[FierceKitty]

A quiet reminder that Japan has a long history. Things change over the eras.

[S J Donovan]

I think I am getting an idea of peasants and weapons.  Thank you all!  Metternich who manufactures the peasants with the bamboo spears, nice painting by the way.

[Metternich]

They were the old Black Hat, now manufactured by Brigade Miniatures.  Note that they are 25mm vice 28mm, so may be a bit short for a Perry and like 28mm figures.  However, the peasants of the Sengoku period were often "food insecure" (i.e. starved) and they were noticeably shorter in stature than most of the samurai class.

https://bridgeminiatures.com/product-category/25mm-historical/25mm-historical-samurai/

Unfortunately, Kikuchiyo in another thread indicates that he has had problems getting through to Brigade Miniatures.  Perry also makes armed peasants (in 28mm scale consistent with their samurai and ashigaru).

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sam-31.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nL0saq5IZ-U/UsXZgUMlxsI/AAAAAAAAX7w/i6rrJKDflCU/s1600/31December201314.jpg

[sonicReducer]

Metternich gave a really good summary.

Kensei miniatures do some Wako bandits with bamboo spears that look really good. I think they are a bit bigger than Perry minis

[Metternich]

There are also AW Miniatures in 28mm.  Have never seen them in "the flesh" ( "the lead ?") but they seem a bit chunky (that said, in addition to armed peasants the line does have some interesting vignette figures):

https://awminiatures.com/

https://awminiatures.com/product-category/28mm-samurai-16th-century/peasants/

[S J Donovan]

Metternich those are perfect and ordered. Thank you Richard