Firearms were the bane of the samurai’s existence. They made obsolete the ancient weapons of the Japanese samurai and stole away the dominance they held on the battlefield. The power of bows, the power of swords, and the power of all weapons they used were futile in the face of the newfound power of gunpowder. Even the armor of the samurai was useless when gunpowder became such a phenomenon. However, many samurai were disgusted by this new weapon of easily achievable fatal abilities. Low class warriors, and even peasants, could simply pick a gun up and end the life of a samurai who trained his whole life in the practice of other arts. As a result, many samurai deemed firearms as dishonorable and cowardly. Thus, those samurai who did not embrace the new weaponry lost their influence and ultimately were the people who began the end of the age of the samurai.
Contrary to popular belief though, some samurai decided to cast away their old beliefs and take up the “art of the rifle,” Teppo Jutsu. Skill was still required of the usage though. Accuracy, close quarters, and maintenance were all aspects that these new warriors had to train in.
In the end though, the firearms ended the samurai.
