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A Ryukyuan envoy in [[1466]] demonstrated Chinese-style firearms before the [[Ashikaga shogunate|Ashikaga shogun]] and his court; [[Stephen Turnbull]] describes this as the first gunpowder explosion to occur in Japan since the [[Mongol invasions]],<ref>Turnbull, Stephen. ''The Samurai Capture a King: Okinawa 1609''. Oxford: Osprey Press, 2009. p58.</ref> when the Mongols made use of a sort of grenade or bomb. Various records seem to imply that gun salutes came to be typical in Ryûkyû on certain occasions, such as when the king departed the palace on a journey.<ref>Uezato. p79.</ref> Still used today at certain festivals, such as the [[Naha Tug-of-War]], devices used for salutes are comprised of a triple barrel, each roughly 3cm in diameter and 20cm in length, attached to a long 180cm oak haft. These are also called ''hiyaa'' or ''hyaa'', but the character ''bô'', meaning rod or pole, is inserted, unpronounced, before those meaning "fire arrow."<ref name=uezato80>Uezato. p80.</ref>

A Ryukyuan envoy in [[1466]] demonstrated Chinese-style firearms before the [[Ashikaga shogunate|Ashikaga shogun]] and his court; [[Stephen Turnbull]] describes this as the first gunpowder explosion to occur in Japan since the [[Mongol invasions]],<ref>Turnbull, Stephen. ''The Samurai Capture a King: Okinawa 1609''. Oxford: Osprey Press, 2009. p58.</ref> when the Mongols made use of a sort of grenade or bomb. Various records seem to imply that gun salutes came to be typical in Ryûkyû on certain occasions, such as when the king departed the palace on a journey.<ref>Uezato. p79.</ref> Still used today at certain festivals, such as the [[Naha Tug-of-War]], devices used for salutes are comprised of a triple barrel, each roughly 3cm in diameter and 20cm in length, attached to a long 180cm oak haft. These are also called ''hiyaa'' or ''hyaa'', but the character ''bô'', meaning rod or pole, is inserted, unpronounced, before those meaning "fire arrow."<ref name=uezato80>Uezato. p80.</ref>

As there are no documents explicitly saying so, it is difficult to know if firearms were used as weapons, in battle, in the 15th century. However, Uezato points out that there were certainly conflicts in which they might, hypothetically, have been used, including an expedition to [[Kikai-ga-shima]] in [[1450]], [[Shiro Furi dispute|succession disputes]] in [[1453]], and the [[Gosamaru]]-[[Amawari]] Incident of [[1458]].<ref name=uezato80/>

As there are no documents explicitly saying so, it is difficult to know if firearms were used as weapons, in battle, in the 15th century. However, Uezato points out that there were certainly conflicts in which they might, hypothetically, have been used, including an expedition to [[Kikai-ga-shima]] in [[1450]], [[Shiro Furi dispute|succession disputes]] in [[1453]], and the [[Gosamaru]]-[[Amawari]] Incident of [[1458]].<ref name=uezato80/> Metal and stone rounds have been found in archaeological excavations at the site of Gosamaru's castle, [[Nakagusuku gusuku]].<ref>"The Nakagusuku Castle," pamphlet available at Nakagusuku.</ref>

The early Korean records allude to the presence of Ryukyuan officials within the government tasked with being in charge of firearms, but it is unclear if indeed such a post or position existed at the time. The ''[[Ryukyukoku yuraiki|Ryûkyû-koku yuraiki]]'' indicates a "head of production of firearms / fire arrows"<!--比屋勢頭親雲上 or 火矢勢頭親雲上--> (O: ''hyaa shii du [[peechin]]'') named Matsuuji (in the Japanese reading of the name) who is held to have introduced [[fireworks]] to Ryûkyû in [[1479]], so such a position seems to have been in place at that time. Furthermore, an official known as the ''[[boraakugami bugyo|boraakugami bugyô]]'' is known to have had gunpowder technology among his responsibilities.<ref>Uezato. pp77-78.</ref>

The early Korean records allude to the presence of Ryukyuan officials within the government tasked with being in charge of firearms, but it is unclear if indeed such a post or position existed at the time. The ''[[Ryukyukoku yuraiki|Ryûkyû-koku yuraiki]]'' indicates a "head of production of firearms / fire arrows"<!--比屋勢頭親雲上 or 火矢勢頭親雲上--> (O: ''hyaa shii du [[peechin]]'') named Matsuuji (in the Japanese reading of the name) who is held to have introduced [[fireworks]] to Ryûkyû in [[1479]], so such a position seems to have been in place at that time. Furthermore, an official known as the ''[[boraakugami bugyo|boraakugami bugyô]]'' is known to have had gunpowder technology among his responsibilities.<ref>Uezato. pp77-78.</ref>