Everything You Need to Know About the Naginata

Imagine fixing the legendary katana (or perhaps even a wakizashi) to the end of an extra-long pole. That gives you a blade with remarkable reach, which is precisely what the naginata offers. Although less popular than its shorter, mythical relative, the katana, the naginata is a revered Japanese blade, particularly among foot soldiers, sōhei monks, a number of samurai, and the equally legendary onna-musha (or onna-bugeisha, female samurai).

Join us as we explore the origins of this legendary Japanese sword (it is still a sword, if one with an exceptionally long handle), including its role in samurai history, its types, how it is used, and a few other details worth discovering. Let's get started.

What is a naginata?

It is easy to think of the naginata as a Japanese katana (or even a tachi) with an exceptionally long handle, or tsuka. In fact, the blade is set into a wooden pole, although some preferred to fit the blade to a metal shaft. It is the Japanese equivalent of the European glaive or the Chinese guan dao.

This description makes the naginata a polearm (a blade attached to one end of a pole). It was a favourite of the early samurai, the monks known as sōhei, and foot soldiers (ashigaru). Most importantly, the naginata has always been emblematic of the onna-bugeisha or onna-musha (Japanese female samurai).

Discovering the origins of a legend: the naginata

There are two competing schools of thought on the history of the naginata. Some say this blade was inspired by the hooked yari of the 1st millennium, while others believed the naginata is a tachi with an extended handle, making it a blade of the Heian period.

Scholars give more weight to the latter theory, particularly around the Genpei conflict between 1180 and 1185, which pitted the Minamoto clan against the Taira clan. This period saw the naginata gain in importance (some scholars claim it eclipsed the tachi).

Why not? The naginata was well suited to keeping mounted riders at a distance and to dealing with armoured opponents. Its reach allowed the user to cover a wide area with a single sweeping movement.

Besides the samurai, the naginata was a favourite of the sōhei monks, such as Saito Musashibo Benkei, and of foot soldiers (ashigaru).

Its role in samurai history

The samurai of the Kamakura period wore heavy samurai armour as protection against the sharp edge of the tachi. Many, however, answered this with the naginata. It was not only perfect for slicing and cutting, but also ideal for thrusting and defence.

This polearm took advantage of its exceptional reach while letting the user keep a safe distance.

The naginata and the onna-bugeisha (or onna-musha)

They were like the samurai, in the feminine. That is who the onna-bugeisha were in feudal Japan. Their favourite blade was the naginata (although they may also have been skilled with the katana or the tachi).

These women belonged to samurai families (particularly during the Tokugawa period) and trained with the naginata to protect their homes (and their loved ones) when the male members of the family (the samurai) were away on campaign. The naginata's long reach let the onna-bugeisha keep their distance, which made it a highly regarded tool of the household.

Tomoe Gozen, an onna-musha wielding a naginata, by Toyohara Chikanobu on Wikimedia.

One of Japan's most popular samurai, Tomoe Gozen, was an onna-bugeisha who served under Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei conflict. Another was Hangaku Gozen, who played a part in the Kennin Rebellion of 1201. These legendary women are remembered for wielding the naginata.

Naginata: decline and revival

Many samurai during the Muromachi period abandoned the naginata for the yari (spear) because it allowed tighter formations. The katana also became the blade of choice for many.

Nevertheless, personal duels and castle defences still featured the naginata. It also became a symbol of status, particularly for the women of samurai families.

A modern naginatajutsu competition, by Instituto Niten on Wikimedia.

In the Showa era, the national government introduced naginatajutsu (the martial art of the naginata) into the physical education curriculum for girls, calling it naginata-do. After the Second World War, the government reshaped the practice and produced two schools or philosophies: koryu naginata and atarashii naginata.

More than a pole: how the naginata is built

The naginata is like an extended katana or tachi, keeping the curved, single-edged shape of the blade. It also has a circular or oval guard (tsuba), and its forging follows traditional methods and techniques (including the smelting and forging of tamahagane steel and differential hardening).

Its shaft, or "pole", is what sets the naginata apart from other Japanese swords such as the katana and wakizashi. The shaft, starting below the tsuba and extending to the opposite end, can measure between 1.2 and 2.4 metres (about 4 to 8 ft). Add the blade (around 30 to 60 centimetres, or 12 to 24 in) and you could have a naginata measuring from 1.5 to 3 metres (about 5 to 10 ft), from the tip of the blade to the end of the pole.

A wooden peg (mekugi) fixes the removable blade to the shaft. To stop the tang from working loose from the shaft, the section around the tang is reinforced with metal rings (semegane) or sleeves (sakawa) before the area is wrapped with cord (san-dan maki). The end of the shaft also carries a metal butt cap (hirumaki).

Types of naginata

Because this blade is essentially a pole with a removable blade, users could choose the type or shape of the blade, which gave rise to the different types of naginata.

Shizuka (Shizukagate)

Shizuka naginata from Japanese Sword Legends.

This naginata has a slightly curved blade (also described as shallow or gentle), which makes it look more like a modified ninjato blade. It is like an elongated tanto, with a sharp, needle-like point and a slender body.

Tomoegata

Tomoegata from Japanese Sword Legends.

One cannot help wondering whether this naginata is named after Japan's most popular onna-musha or onna-bugeisha, Tomoe Gozen. It has the classic tachi shape, with strong curvature, but with a more pronounced point. Unlike the shizuka, the tomoegata is suited to hooking and cutting. It is also frequently depicted in popular culture, particularly in the arts.

Tsukushi (Chikushi)

Tsukushi naginata from Gunbai.

The Tsukushi is unique in that its blade has no tang that fixes into the shaft. Instead, the tsuba caps the end of the mast or pole. Experts believe the Tsukushi was inspired by two-handed axes or scythes.

Musou (Nata naginata)

Musou naginata from Gunbai.

The Musou resembles a bayonet because of its unusual fixing to the naginata shaft. The blade is also unusually large, which leads some to compare it to a two-handed axe. This naginata is one of the oldest (and rarest), and is appreciated for its cutting qualities.

Naginata bisento

Bisento naginata from Gunbai.

One look at the Bisento and you would be forgiven for thinking it is a copy of the Chinese guan dao. It has a characteristic "hook" on its broad blade (it is like having two curved blade tips from a single body). The Bisento is suited to slicing and chopping.

Cut-point naginata

The cut-point naginata takes its name from a blade tip sharpened on both sides, suited to thrusting and cutting. Like the Musou, the cut-point type is fairly rare.

Fukuro naginata

Fukuro naginata from Gunbai.

Popular in the 15th century, the Fukuro was something different. Instead of the blade being fixed inside the shaft by its tang, it was mounted over it. The shaft was also a little smaller. Experts say these naginata were used by the onna-musha during training, while samurai used the blades as paddles (among other uses, of course).

Shiai-yo naginata

Shiai-yo naginata from Yamato Budogu.

This naginata is intended solely for training, specifically for competition practice. It can be compared to the iaito training sword. It has a bamboo blade and an oak shaft, between 2.11 and 2.26 metres long (about 6 ft 11 in to 7 ft 5 in), and weighs at least 650 grams (about 1.4 lb). Like the blunt edge of the iaito, the shiai-yo naginata has a covered tip for safety.

Kihon-yo naginata

Kihon-yo naginata from E-Bogu.

The kihon-yo naginata is like the shiai-yo naginata, a training tool. However, it is more specific to learning and mastering the koryu swinging forms. It is a single piece of Japanese white oak (unlike the shiai type, with its separate bamboo blade).

The naginata in practice

Although the katana is prized for its cutting qualities, the versatility of the naginata cannot be denied. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, it can perform sweeping cuts, guarding movements and thrusts. Its shaft (especially the metal versions) is well suited to parrying while giving the user a chance to respond. The naginata-do forms teach several fundamental techniques.

• Makikomi: the "sweeping cut", a wide circular movement that makes use of the full length of the shaft.

• Tsuki: a thrusting technique.

• Harai: deflecting or sweeping aside an opposing blade, such as a katana or tachi, without exposing yourself.

• Uchi: a strike from overhead, the way you would swing an axe down.

Final thoughts

The naginata may not be as popular as the katana, but it has its place in Japanese history. After all, this blade predates the katana by several hundred years, helping early samurai shape the country and set the stage for Japan's rich heritage. Although the naginata was long regarded as a woman's blade, its relevance to contemporary martial arts cannot be denied.