Naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is a pole weapon that was traditionally used in Japan by members of the samurai class. A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved blade on the end; it is similar to the Chinese Guan Dao or European glaive or Russian sovnya. Usually it also had a sword-like guard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft.
The
martial art of wielding the
naginata is known as
naginatajutsu. Most
naginata practice today is in a modernised form, a
gendai budō called
atarashii Naginata meaning "new Naginata", in which competitions are held. Use of the
naginata is also taught within the
Bujinkan and in some
koryū schools.
Naginata practitioners may wear a form of the protective
armour known as
bōgu similar to that worn by
kendō practitioners. Wearing the
bogu means using a
naginata that is a mix of light oak wood shaft, with a bamboo blade
habu for
atarashii Naginata.
The naginata has become associated in modern Japan as a woman's weapon as it is studied by women more than men, whereas in Europe and Australia naginata is practiced predominantly by men—this is however simply a reflection of the martial arts demographics of Europe, where there is no historical association—as there is in Japan—that naginatajutsu is for women.
History
The naginata may have descended from the earlier hoko, possibly influenced by the Chinese Guan Dao. It's difficult to tell when the naginata itself first appeared. Though often claimed as being invented by the sohei during the Nara period, physical evidence of their existence dates only from the mid-Kamakura period, and earlier literary sources are ambiguous. The earliest clear references to naginata date from 1146 in the late Heian period, with one suggesting that the weapon may have been recent. Earlier 10th through 12th century sources refer to "long swords" that while a common medieval term or orthography for naginata, could also simply be referring to conventional swords; one source describes a naginata being drawn with the verb nuku, commonly associated with swords, rather than hazusu, the verb otherwise used in medieval texts for unsheathing naginata. However, some 11th and 12th century mentions of hoko may actually have been referring to naginata. The commonly-assumed association of the naginata and the sohei is also unclear. Artwork from the late-13th and 14th centuries depict the sohei with naginata but don't appear to place any special significance to it: the weapons appear as just part of a number of others carried by the monks, and are used by samurai and commoners as well. Depictions of naginata-armed sohei in earlier periods were created centuries after the fact, and are likely using the naginata as a symbol to distinguish the sohei from other warriors, rather than giving an accurate portrayal of the events.
During the Gempei War (1180–1185), in which the Taira clan was pitted against Minamoto no Yoritomo of the Minamoto clan, the naginata rose to a position of particularly high esteem, being regarded as an extremely effective weapon by warriors. Cavalry battles had become more important by this time, and the naginata proved excellent at dismounting cavalry and disabling riders. The widespread adoption of the naginata as a battlefield weapon forced the introduction of sune-ate (shin guards) as a part of Japanese armor. The rise of importance for the naginata can be seen as being mirrored by the European pike, another long pole weapon employed against mounted horses.
wearing modern armor for naginata sparring, minus helmet and gloves]]
During the Edo Period, as the naginata became less useful for men on the battlefield, it became a symbol of the social status of women of the samurai class. A functional naginata was often a traditional part of a samurai daughter's dowry. Although they did not typically fight as normal soldiers, women of the samurai class were expected to be capable of defending their homes while their husbands were away at war. The naginata was considered one of the weapons most suitable for women, since it allows a woman to keep opponents at a distance, where any advantages in height, weight, and upper body strength would be lessened. An excellent example of the role of women in Japanese society and martial culture is Itagaki, who, famous for her naginata skills, led the garrison of 3,000 warriors stationed at Toeizakayama castle. Ten thousand Hōjō clan warriors were dispatched to take the castle, and Itagaki led her troops out of the castle, killing a significant number of the attackers before being overpowered.
By the 17th century the rise in popularity of firearms caused a great decrease in the appearance of the naginata on the battlefield. However, the naginata saw its final uses in combat in 1868, at Aizu, and in 1876, in Satsuma. In both cases it was used by fighting women.
Due to the influence of Westernization after the Meiji Restoration the perceived value of martial arts, the naginata included, dropped severely. It was from this time that the focus of training became the strengthening of the will and the forging of the mind and body. During the Showa period, naginata training became a part of the public school system in 1912; and it "remains a staple of girls’ physical education"
Construction
The naginata, like many weapons, can be customized to fit the build of the bearer. Generally, the naginata shaft is the height of the bearer's body, with the blade mounted atop usually measuring two or three
shaku (one shaku is equivalent to 12 inches, or 30 cm) long. Unlike most polearms, the shaft is
oval in cross section to allow easy orientation of the blade, and ranges from 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters) in length. The blade is usually curved, sometimes strongly so, towards the tip. As with Japanese swords, naginata blades were forged blades, made with differing degrees of hardness on the spine and edge to retain a sharp edge but also be able to absorb the stress of impact. Some naginata blades may, in fact, have been recycled
katana blades. Note also at the opposite end of a naginata, the
ishizuki, (a metal end-cap, often spiked, which functioned as a counterweight to the blade) was attached, rendering the naginata an effective weapon whichever end was put forward.
In contemporary naginatajutsu, there are two general constructions. The first, the kihon yo, is carved from one piece of Japanese white oak and is used for the practice of katas (forms). This is quite light, and may or may not feature the tsuba between the blade and shaft sections. The second type, the shiai yo, uses a similar wooden shaft, but the blade is constructed from bamboo and is replaceable as it can break through hard contact. This type is used in atarashii naginata, the bamboo blade being more forgiving on the target than a wooden or metal blade.
Many of the imitation "naginata" for sale to the public are not actually naginata at all, as may be concluded from the above details on proper construction. Specifically, these imitations have shorter, rounded shafts, very short blades, and screw-together sections.
Usage
Naginata can be used to batter, stab or hook an opponent', but due to their relatively balanced center of mass, are often spun and turned to proscribe a large radius of reach. The curved blade makes for an effective tool for cutting due to the increased length of cutting surface. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, one 5-foot (1.5 m) tall wielder could conceivably cover and attack in 484 square feet (44.97 square meters) of open, level ground with a 5 foot (1.5 m) shaft, 3 foot (0.9 m) blade, 3 foot (0.9 m) reach.
Naginatas were often used by foot soldiers to create space on the battlefield. They have several situational advantages over a sword. Their reach was longer, allowing the wielder to keep out of reach of his opponent. The long shaft offered it more leverage in comparison to the hilt of the katana, enabling the naginata to cut more efficiently. The weight of the weapon gave power to strikes and cuts, even though the weight of the weapon is usually thought of as a disadvantage. The weight at the end of the shaft and the shaft itself can be used both offensively and defensively. Swords, on the other hand, can be used to attack faster, have longer cutting edges (and therefore more striking surface and less area to grab), and were able to be more precisely controlled in the hands of an experienced swordsman.
Notable users
Tomoe Gozen
Hangaku Gozen
Benkei
Nakano Takeko
See also
Bardiche
Hyeopdo
Budō
Yari
Bisento
Halberd
Voulge
Atgeir
Gallery
Image:Naginata1.JPG| Two Edo period Japanese ( samurai ) naginata.
Image:Naginata2.JPG| Two Edo period Japanese ( samurai ) naginata.
Image:Naginata 1.JPG|Antique Japanese (samurai) naginata.
References
External links
All Japan Naginata Federation
US Naginata Federation home page and general information
British Naginata Association
Australian Naginata Federation
Southern California Naginata Federation - history of the naginata
Canadian Naginata Federation home page
Brazilian Naginata Association
Naginata webpage -(France)
Naginata.be -(Belgium)
A list of traditional Naginatajutsu Ryu at Koryu.com
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Naginata
Category:Pole weapons
Category:Sport in Japan
Category:Weapons of Japan
Category:Blade weapons
Category:Samurai weapons and equipment
