The European Matchlock was invented around 1400 AD. It appeared in Japan and was copied by the Japanese when the Portuguese first sailed to Japan in 1543. Although the Matchlock became obsolete in other parts of the world, Japan isolated as it was, continued to use the Matchlock up until the nineteenth century.

In Japan, the Matchlock was known as the Tanegashima, after an island off the coast of Japan where the Matchlock was first introduced by the Portuguese. I am told that the Tibetan Tribesman still use the Matchlock to hunt wolves and other wild animals.

The use of the Tanegashima forever changed the way the Samurai warrior fought battles. This particular Matchlock is numbered 2845 on the stock as well as the makers name Kunitomo carved on the barrel and the owner's name Nobushige also carved or chiseled on the gun.