The naginata (なぎなた or 薙刀) is a Japanese polearm weapon characterized by a long, curved, single-edged blade that widens towards the tip. It is mounted on a long shaft with a varying length of handle, typically shorter than the yari, the spear commonly used by Japanese warriors (bushi). In terms of shape and usage, the naginata resembles the "fauchon" of medieval Europe.
Emerging on the battlefields during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), the naginata became obsolete as a battlefield weapon during the Tokugawa Era. However, it continued to be utilized for individual combat and for defending buildings or private residences.
Its use became particularly prominent among women of the warrior class, the buke, who were responsible for household administration. The martial art associated with the naginata, known as naginata-dō or naginatajutsu, was still part of the traditional technical repertoire of warriors (bujutsu). In modern budō, there are independent styles that preserve a stylized form of naginata combat similar to kendō, known as Atarashii Naginata.
A similar weapon to the naginata but with a nearly straight blade and often longer is called nagamaki (literally: "long-handle [blade]").
History of the Naginata
Origins
The naginata likely originated in Japan, drawing influence from a Chinese weapon called the Guan dao, which was a type of polearm similar to the European falchion used by medieval infantry forces. The initial prototype for the final form of the naginata is believed to have been the hoko spear.
Identifying the exact time when the weapon appeared on Japanese battlefields is challenging. The naginata is traditionally associated with the figure of the Sōhei, the "warrior monks," leading to the belief that the weapon was invented during the period of the Sōhei's greatest power, the Nara Period (8th century).
However, the earliest confirmed records of the naginata's existence date back to 1146 (Heian Period), and its widespread use can be considered complete only during the middle Kamakura Period (1185-1333).
Mentions of long-bladed weapons used to counter cavalry charges in the 10th and 12th centuries most likely refer to the use of nodachi, the large field swords (tachi). In these sources, the verb used to describe the act of unsheathing the weapon is nuku, associated with swords, rather than the verb hazusu, which later came to be associated with the naginata.
However, it is not unreasonable to assume that the hoko spear, from which the naginata would later evolve, was already in use by the 11th century. The connection between the naginata and the Sōhei is also unclear.
While the naginata appears as part of the armament of warrior monks in 14th-century iconography, it is also depicted in the hands of samurai opposing the monks. Nevertheless, the iconography of later centuries often used the image of the naginata to distinguish warrior monks from regular bushi in battle scenes.
Influence
It was during the Genpei War (1180-1185) between the Taira Clan and the Minamoto Clan, led by Minamoto no Yoritomo, that the naginata demonstrated its effectiveness on the battlefield.
The increased use of cavalry forces highlighted the need for an infantry polearm capable of striking warriors on horseback or halting a charging horse. During this period, the armor of the bushi was equipped with shin guards (sune-ate) to protect against strikes aimed at the horse's belly.
Due to the widespread adoption of firearms (Tanegashima teppō), the naginata fell out of use as a battlefield weapon during the 17th century. However, it continued to be reconfigured as a dueling weapon and as part of the arsenal of bushi tasked with defending fortresses or private residences.
Nonetheless, the martial art that transmitted the use of the naginata (known as naginata-dō or naginatajutsu) remained an integral part of the traditional technical repertoire of warriors, bujutsu.
A significant outcome of the naginata's domestic reuse was the shift in its intended user. The active use of the naginata transitioned from bushi to their women, the buke, who were responsible for managing the household.
Although not trained as warriors like their male counterparts, samurai women were expected to ensure their own and their residence's security in the absence of their husbands, fathers, or sons.
As a polearm that allowed the user to maintain distance, mitigating differences in weight, height, and strength, the naginata was considered one of the best weapons for the buke. It is no surprise that the naginata often appeared as part of a samurai daughter's dowry.
Our available data has preserved the memory of formidable female samurai skilled in the use of the naginata, such as Hangaku Gozen, who defended Toeizakayama Castle against the Hōjō Clan's assault in 1201.
Women warriors were the last to take the field with naginata during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi (1868) and during anti-Tokugawa uprisings in the Satsuma Province.
The reevaluation and educational promotion of Japanese martial arts following the Meiji Restoration led to the inclusion of naginata training as a school activity for young Japanese women starting in 1912. The study of naginata continued as part of the school curriculum throughout the Shōwa Period (1926-1989), despite the setbacks of World War II and the Allied occupation of Japan. Starting in 1950, traditional study transitioned to Atarashii Naginata (literally "new naginata"), a discipline focused more on etiquette and form rather than martial practicality. Nevertheless, more traditional schools of naginatajutsu have survived, and some have official representatives outside of Japan, including Araki Ryu, Tendo Ryu, Jikishinkage Ryu, Higo Koryu, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, Toda-ha Buko Ryu, and Yoshin Ryu. It is estimated that there are around 200 practitioners of naginatajutsu in the United States.
Famous Naginata Users
Tomoe Gozen, concubine of Minamoto no Yoshinaka (12th century)
- Hangaku Gozen, who died in 1201 while defending Toeizakayama Castle during the Kennin Uprising
- Saitō Musashibō Benkei (1155-1189), legendary sōhei later in the service of Minamoto no Yoshitsune during the Genpei War
- Nakano Takeko (1847-1868), the last famous female samurai who fought and died in the Boshin War.
Construction of Naginata
Like many weapons, the naginata was often custom-built for the individual who would wield it. The handle was typically as tall as the user (averaging around 150 cm, but some naginata exceeded two meters) and had a rhomboidal cross-section to facilitate blade orientation.
The blade, measuring 2 or 3 shaku (60-90 cm), was curved, particularly towards the tip. Similar to the katana blade, the naginata blade was made of forged steel with varying degrees of hardness between the back and the cutting edge to balance cutting ability and impact resistance.
Many naginata blades were repurposed katana blades. To counterbalance the blade, the naginata had a metal butt spike in the shape of a large pin, known as ishizuki, attached to the opposite end of the shaft.
There are three variations of the naginata:
- Kozori, with a highly curved blade
- Hirumaki, featuring an advanced hand guard (tsuba) and a katana blade
- Bisen tō, with a short and thick blade, used by ninja and farmers.