Restored model of 18 lb. Cannon
The original allegedly unproducible at that time was produced by the Masuda family (CEO of Masuko Sangyo) in 1852.
Yasujiro Masuda(the Masuda first generation of our representative) whom there was in the name as a founder of Kawaguchi casting professionals and Shunnan Takashima cooperated in order to create 18 lb. Cannon which was by a request of Tsugaru feudal clan ( existing, Aomori prefecture). They succeeded to create a large casting canon which was almost impossible to create with the casting technology in those days. 213 cannons and 41,323 cannonballs were made by Ansei era five year from Kaei era five year, and it was supplied all over Japan. It must have been great adventure and challenge that to start from daily necessities casting such as a pan or a pot to casting of a large scale cannon. And then, challenge mind is inherited for development of grinding, cutting, pulverizing machines now.

Walking in Edo The foreigner who took a walk was surrounded by a large number of guards.

Shimonoseki war.
Shimoniseki battery was collapsed by the attack of foreign ships. Photographed by Veato in September1864.
However, technology of making canon was not accomplished in those days, and therefore, there were not enough number of cannons to protect and prevent Japan from foreign threat. Feudal clan of Mito, Satuma, Choushu, Hizen, and Tosa made an effort to accomplish the technology of making cannons at that time.
"Yasujiro Masuda and cannon"

Drawing of a cannon which Yasujiro Masuda developed
Casting professionals in Kawaguchi began to make weaponry as well as daily
necessities for the national defense purpose.
Yasujiro Masuda and Kintaro Masuda succeeded and created large sized casting
canon for the shore defense purpose, and consequently, they were forgiven a family
name.
Ansei six years(1859) Sunnnan Takashima praised Masudas and said " developing
an original canon is a great achievement for the country".
Yasujiro was the leading person of casting professionals of canon technology
at that time. A canon was muzzle loading type in the middle of the 19th century.
A hollow gun barrel was made, and then to finish the inside. There were bronze
guns and cast iron guns, and there were two kinds of length. Short length gun
was called whistle gun, and long length gun was called cannon.It seemed that
Yasujiro made various guns and canons.