Naginata
Naginata (なぎなた, 長刀 or 薙刀) is a pole weapon that was traditionally used in Japan by members of the samurai class. It has become associated with women, and in modern Japan, it is studied by women more than men. It consists of a wood shaft with a curved blade fashioned onto the end, and is similar to the European glaive. Usually, it also had a sword-like guard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft.
The martial art of wielding the naginata is called naginata-jutsu. Most naginata practise today is in a modernised form, a gendai budo called "Naginata", in which competitions also are held. Naginata is also practised within the Bujinkan and in some koryu schools. Naginata practitioners wear a modified form of the protective armour worn by kendo practitioners, known as bogu.
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. In the paintings of battlefield scenes made during the Tengyo no Ran in 936 AD, the naginata can be seen in use. 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. 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 used to defeat mounted warriors. 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. 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.
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, 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.
Due to the influence of westernization after the Meiji Restoration the perceived value of martial arts, 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.
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. After the lifting of the ban in 1950, a modern form of naginata training, known as Atarashii Naginata (New Naginata), was developed. Since World War II naginata has primarily been practiced as a sport, rather than as military training, with a particular emphasis on etiquette and discipline.
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 11.93 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 (1.5 to 2.1 m) long. The blade is usually curved, sometimes strongly, towards the tip, and historically is believed to be related to Chinese Guan Daos. 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 the modern arts of naginatado and naginatajutsu, there are two general constructions. The first is carved from one piece of Japanese white oak and is used for the practice of katas (forms). This is quite light, and may not feature the tsuba between the blade and shaft sections. The second type 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 for the sparring version of the martial art - the bamboo blade obviously being a lot more forgiving on the target than a wooden or metal blade.
Note that many of the imitation "naginata" available on the web 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. These should never be used for any form of naginata training.
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 a more 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 had considerable advantages over a sword. For one, their reach was longer, and this was necessary to keep the naginata's wielder out of reach. 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 could be used offensively and defensively. But swords were faster, had 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.
It is believed that the addition of "sune-ate" (leg greaves or shin guards) to the armour of samurai and foot soldiers was motivated directly by the injuries sustained from naginata.
Naginata methods are said to be derived from a combination of bojutsu staff fighting methods and sword fighting techniques.
Famous users
See also
External links
- Naginata
- Japan Naginata Union
- British Naginata Association
- Southern California Naginata Federation - history of the naginata
