Teppokata (鉄砲方)
Teppokata was one of the posts of Edo bakufu. It was also called teppo goyounin or teppo osobashu. It was a post to study, maintain and repair guns.
Summary
It was subordinate of wakadoshiyori (a managerial position in Edo bakufu) with yakuryo (executive allowance) of 200 – 300 bales. The duties were instruction of gunnery, production, preservation and repair of guns as well as elimination of wild boars and wolves and to arrest robbers and arsonists.
Families in charge
In the early Edo period, 4 families served as that, but later it took a hereditary system of Inoue family and Tatsuke family.
Inoue family
Masatsugu INOUE, a firearms specialist who was also skilled in gun manufacturing, was the founder of Geki-style of artillery (Geki is another name for Masatsugu). The name Satayu INOUE has been passed from one generation of the family to the next, and each of them has taken charge of firearms manufacturing in Japan.
Tatsuke family
The family was taken into the service of Ieyasu TOKUGAWA, who thought highly of the Tatsuke style of artillery. The family has taken charge of import firearms (mostly made in the Netherlands).
Inatomi family
The founder was Sukenao INATOMI with the Inadome style of artillery. In the early Edo period, it tried to reform gunnery and failed and was demoted to bankata.
Tsuge family
It participated in the Battle of Sekigahara with 20 gun experts.
Subordinates
It had teppogata yoriki, teppogata doshin, teppomigaki doshin who were lower than omemi.
Teppogata yoriki
5 people each were assigned to Inoue group and Tatsuke group respectively holding 60 kokudaka (a system for determining land value for tribute purposes in the Edo period).
Teppogata doshin
20 people in one group with 30 bales 2 people fuchi (stipend) of salary.
Teppomigaki doshin
They belonged to Tatsuke group with fixed number of people of 12 and 30 bales 2 people fuchi of salary. The duty was to polish all the guns in possession of bakufu.