Bo-hiya

Fire arrows of some type have been used in Japan as far back as the 6th century where they are said to have been used during a military campaign in Korea. Bows (yumi) were used to launch these early fire arrows.[1]

In 10th-century China, gunpowder was used to launch fire arrows, and this type of fire arrow was used against the Japanese by Mongolian naval vessels in the 13th century.[2]

In 1543, the Japanese acquired matchlock technology from the Portuguese, and the resulting firearms developed by the Japanese led to new means of launching fire arrows. These rocket-type bo-hiya had the appearance of a thick arrow with large fins, a wood shaft and a metal tip; they resembled the Korean chongtong, an arrow-firing cannon.[3] Bo-hiya were ignited by lighting a fuse made from incendiary waterproof rope which was wrapped around the shaft; when lit the bo-hiya was launched from either a wide-bore cannon, a form of tanegashima (Japanese matchlock) called hiya zutsu, or from a mortar-like weapon (hiya taihou). By the 16th century, Japanese pirates were reported to have used bo-hiya. During one sea battle it was said the bo hiya were "falling like rain".[4] Bo-hiya were standard equipment on Japanese military vessels, where they were used to set fire to enemy ships.[5]

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  Antique Japanese (samurai) bo hiya or bohiya (fire arrow) and hiya taihou (fire arrow cannon), Matsumoto Castle, in Nagano prefecture, Japan.
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  Antique Japanese (samurai) bohiya or bo hiya (fire arrow), showing the fuse, Matsumoto Castle, in Nagano prefecture, Japan.
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  Bo-hiya.
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  An Edo period wood block print showing samurai gunners using hiya zutsu (fire arrow guns) to fire bo-hiya.
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  Bo-hiya (fire arrow), ancient japanese weapon also known as hiya taihou (fire arrow cannon).

• Chongtong
• Cetbang