2 hours ago, Halion said:As to what the harriers use, we get a description of some special resource, not big casks full of nitre, but "several tight paper scrolls and small glittering tsangusuri wards". Off the top of my head I'm not sure what that is but it hints at a creative use of magical objects or something equally esoteric. I don't think any of the standard Asahina wards are of the variety that destroys masonry. This may be a mystery to be later addressed.
They are Scrolls loaded with powder and the tsangusuri wards maybe are fuses or some trick to make a bigger explosion.
Remember that is a place that is 80% build with wood paper and varnish.
About the gaijin pepper ban, yeah it's a crime by imperial law but they are fireworks in every big festival.