The Japanese use of cannon

[Tomisama]

I have done way more study than I ever wanted to do concerning 16th century Japanese firearms, but the questions keep coming up, so the research continues.

The single most reliable source of information on the subject that I have found is the National Museum of Japanese History. The information that they have is pretty much as far as far as you can go backwards in a liner fashion. You can branch out from anywhere along the timeline and collect more data, but can only depend on it, if it squares with the National Museum.

What they have to say about cannons:
(lower on the page)
(most importantly the date of 1570)
http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/e-rekihaku/114/index.html

P.S. And please note, Japanese cannon can be as small as hand held ones below.

[Seijitai]

I like these hand cannons ! On my answer, I was talking of the large artillery pieces