Naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is a pole weapon that was traditionally used in Japan by members of the samurai class. A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat Weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is placed on the end of a long shaft typically of Wood For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. It has become associated with women and in modern Japan it is studied by women more than men; whereas in Europe and Australia naginata is practiced predominantly (but not exclusively) by men. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. A naginata consists of a wood shaft with a curved blade on the end; it is similar to the Chinese Guan Dao or European glaive. A guandao kwandao or kuantao is a type of Chinese Pole weapon that is currently used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. A glaive is a Polearm consisting of a single-edged Blade on the end of a pole. Usually it also had a sword-like guard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft. The tsuba (鍔 is usually a round or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons like the Katana and its various declinations
The martial art of wielding the naginata is called naginatajutsu. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. is the Japanese martial art of wielding the Naginata.This is a weapon resembling the medieval European Glaive. Most naginata practice today is in a modernised form, a gendai budō called atarashii naginata ("new naginata"), in which competitions also are held. meaning "modern martial way" is a Japanese expression that is used to define the modern Japanese martial arts. Use of the naginata is also taught within the Bujinkan and in some koryū schools. The is an international Ninja organization originating in Japan, that trains their students in the combat martial arts and Unconventional warfare is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. Naginata practitioners may wear a form of the protective armour known as bōgu similar to that worn by kendō practitioners. Armour (or armor) is protective covering most commonly manufactured from metals to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact is specially developed protective armour used in a number of Japanese martial arts most notably Kendo and Naginata. or " way of the sword " is the Japanese and South Korean martial art of sword-fighting
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History
The term naginata first appeared in the Kojiki in 712 AD and was used by Sohei warrior priests during the Nara Period, around 750 AD. were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate The of the History of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. It is most likely based on the Chinese Guan Dao. A guandao kwandao or kuantao is a type of Chinese Pole weapon that is currently used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. In the paintings of battlefield scenes made during the Tengyo no Ran in 936 AD, the naginata can be seen in use. Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e The Tengyo no Ran ("War in the Tengyo era " is the name of a brief medieval Japanese conflict in which Taira no Masakado rebelled against the central government It was in 1086, in the book Ōshū Gosannenki ("A Diary of Three Years in Ōshū") that the use of the naginata in combat is first recorded. In this period the naginata was regarded as an extremely effective weapon by warriors.
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. The ( 1180 &ndash 1185) were a Conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans and in late- Heian period Japan. For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan was the founder and the first Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not Cavalry battles had become more important by this time, and the naginata proved excellent at dismounting cavalry and disabling riders. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on The widespread adoption of the naginata as a battlefield weapon forced the introduction of sune-ate (shin guards) as a part of Japanese armor. A greave (from 12th century French greve "shin" of uncertain origin is a piece of Armour that protects the Leg. The rise of importance for the naginata can be seen as being mirrored by the European pike, another long pole weapon employed against mounted warriors. A pike is a Pole weapon, a very long thrusting Spear used two-handed and used extensively by Infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as An excellent example of the role of women in Japanese society and martial culture at this time is Itagaki, who, famous for her naginata skills, led the garrison of 3,000 warriors stationed at Toeizakayama castle. was a female warrior samurai, one of the relatively few Japanese warrior women commonly known in history or classical literature Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops 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. See the Late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.
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. The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 A functional naginata was often a traditional part of a samurai daughter's dowry. A dowry (also known as trousseau or tocher) is the money goods or estate that a woman brings to her soon to be husband in marriage 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, as it allows a woman to keep a male opponent at a distance, where his greater height, weight, and upper body strength offers less of an advantage.
By the 17th century the rise in popularity of firearms caused a great decrease in the appearance of the naginata on the battlefield. A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion However, the naginata saw its final uses in combat in 1868, at Aizu, and in 1876, in Satsuma. is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. This article is about the province For alternative meanings of the word Satsuma, see Satsuma (disambiguation was an old province 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. Westernization or occidentalization (from occident, see wiktionary) is a process whereby societies come under or adopt the Western The, also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. 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. The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and
Martial arts training in Japan was banned for five years by the Allied Forces after Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. Surrender is when Soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and become Prisoners of war, either as World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the lifting of the ban in 1950, a modern form of naginata training, known as Atarashii naginata ("new naginata"), was developed. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Since World War II, naginata has primarily been practiced as a sport with a particular emphasis on etiquette and discipline, rather than as military training. Etiquette is a code that governs the expectations of Social behavior, according to the contemporary conventional norm within a Society, In its most general sense discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a Disciple.
Although associated with considerably smaller numbers of practitioners, a number of "koryu bujutsu" systems (old school martial arts) which include older and more combative forms of naginatajutsu remain existent, including Araki Ryu, Tendo Ryu, Jikishinkage ryu, Higo Koryu, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu,Toda-ha Buko Ryu and Yoshin ryu, some of which have authorized representatives outside Japan.
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 11. The shaku (尺 is an archaic Japanese unit of Length, approximately equal to the foot. 93 inches, or 303 mm) 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. In geometry an oval or ovoid (from Latin ovum, 'egg' is any Curve resembling an egg or an Ellipse. 5 to 2. 1 meters) long. 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. A is a type of Japanese sword ( nihontō) and often is called a "samurai sword
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 a lot 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 stab, 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 380 square feet (35 m²) of open, level ground with a 5 foot (1. 5 m) shaft, 3 foot (1 m) blade, 3 foot (1 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. A is a type of Japanese sword ( nihontō) and often is called a "samurai sword 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.
Famous users
See also
External links
- Japan Naginata Union
- US Naginata Federation home page and general information
- British Naginata Association
- Naginata Association of Western Australia
- Southern California Naginata Federation - history of the naginata
- Canadian Naginata Federation home page
- (Portuguese) Brazilian Naginata Association
- (French) Naginata webpage -(France)
- (French)(Portuguese)(English)(Dutch) Naginata.be -(Belgium)
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