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Naginata
The ''naginata'' (, , ) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades ('' nihontō''). ''Naginata'' were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks). The naginata is the iconic weapon of the onna-musha, a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility. A common misconception is that the Naginata is a type of sword, rather than a polearm. Description A ''naginata'' consists of a wooden or metal pole with a curved single-edged blade on the end; it is similar to the Chinese guan dao or the European glaive. Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard (''tsuba'') between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae (furniture). The ''naginata'' blade is forged in the same manner as traditional Japanese swords. The blade has a long tang (''nakago'') which is inserted in the shaft. The blade is removable and is secured by means of a wooden p ...
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Naginatajutsu
is the Japanese martial art of wielding the . The naginata is a weapon resembling the European glaive and the Chinese Guandao, guan dao. Most naginatajutsu practiced today is in a modernized form, a ''gendai budō'', in which competitions also are held. History Origins The ''naginata'' originates from development of the Japanese spear called ''hoko yari'' of the later 1st millennium AD. It has been suggested that it developed along the same lines as Okinawan kobudō weapons as a modified farming tool. Others say that creative samurai in need of a longer weapon attached a sword to a pole. Perhaps the simplest explanation is the natural development of polearms. Polearms are intended as mass weapons, to be used not just by individual warriors, but by formations of soldiers together on field battles and not for dueling. When fighting in close order, two-handed cut-and-thrust weapons, such as halberds and glaives, are much more efficient than mere spears or swords because of their v ...
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Naginata2
The ''naginata'' (, , ) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (''nihontō''). ''Naginata'' were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks). The naginata is the iconic weapon of the onna-musha, a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility. A common misconception is that the Naginata is a type of sword, rather than a polearm. Description A ''naginata'' consists of a wooden or metal pole with a curved single-edged blade on the end; it is similar to the Chinese guan dao or the European glaive. Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard (''tsuba'') between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae (furniture). The ''naginata'' blade is forged in the same manner as traditional Japanese swords. The blade has a long tang (''nakago'') which is inserted in the shaft. The blade is removable and is secured by means of a wooden peg c ...
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Koshirae
Japanese sword mountings are the various housings and associated fittings ('' tosogu'') that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword (e.g. ''katana'') used when the sword blade is being worn by its owner, whereas the '' shirasaya'' is a plain undecorated wooden mounting composed of a '' saya'' and '' tsuka'' that the sword blade is stored in when not being used. Components *: The '' fuchi'' is a hilt collar between the '' tsuka'' and the ''tsuba''. *: The '' habaki'' is a wedge-shaped metal collar used to keep the sword from falling out of the '' saya'' and to support the fittings below; fitted at the ''ha-machi'' and ''mune-machi'' which precede the '' nakago''. *: A hook-shaped fitting used to lock the ''saya'' to the '' obi'' while drawing. *: The ''kashira'' is a butt cap (or pommel) on the end of the ''tsuka''. *: The '' kōgai'' is a spike for hair arranging carried sometimes as part of katan ...
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Tsuba
Japanese sword mountings are the various housings and associated fittings (''Commons:Tosogu (Japanese sword fittings), tosogu'') that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword (e.g. ''katana'') used when the sword blade is being worn by its owner, whereas the ''Commons:shirasaya, shirasaya'' is a plain undecorated wooden mounting composed of a ''Commons:Saya, saya'' and ''Commons:Tsuka, tsuka'' that the sword blade is stored in when not being used. Components *: The ''Commons:category:Fuchi, fuchi'' is a hilt collar between the ''Commons:category:Tsuka, tsuka'' and the ''Commons:category:Tsuba, tsuba''. *: The ''Commons:category:Habaki, habaki'' is a wedge-shaped metal collar used to keep the sword from falling out of the ''Commons:category:Saya, saya'' and to support the fittings below; fitted at the ''ha-machi'' and ''mune-machi'' which precede the ''Commons:category:Nakago, nakago''. *: A hook-sha ...
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Japanese Sword
A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1,000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794–1185) to the present day when speaking of "Japanese swords". There are many types of Japanese swords that differ by size, shape, field of application, and method of manufacture. Some of the more commonly known types of Japanese swords are the ''uchigatana'', ''tachi'', ''ōdachi'', ''wakizashi'', and ''tantō''. Etymology The word ''katana'' was used in ancient Japan and is still used today, whereas the old usage of the word ''nihontō'' is found in the poem the Song of ''Nihontō'', by the Song dynasty poet Ouyang Xiu. The word ''nihontō'' became more common in Japan in the late Tokugawa shogunate. Due to importation of Western swords, the word ''nihontō'' was adopted to distinguish it from the . ''Meibutsu'' (noted swords) is a special designat ...
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Onna-musha
is a term referring to female warriors in pre-modern Japan, who were members of the ''bushi'' (warrior) class. They were trained in the use of weapons to protect their household, family, and honour in times of war; many of them fought in battle alongside samurai men. ''Onna-musha'' also have an important presence in Japanese literature, with Tomoe Gozen and Hangaku Gozen being famous and influential examples. Kamakura period The Genpei War (1180–1185) was a war between the Taira clan, Taira (Heike) and Minamoto clan, Minamoto (Genji) clans, two very prominent Japanese clans of the late-Heian period. The epic ''The Tale of the Heike'' was composed in the early 13th century in order to commemorate the stories of courageous and devoted samurai. Among those was Tomoe Gozen, servant of Minamoto no Yoshinaka of the Minamoto clan. She assisted Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Yoshinaka in defending himself against the forces of his cousin, Minamoto no Yoritomo, especially during the Battle ...
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Polearm
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee weapons, with a subclass of spear-like designs fit for thrusting and/or throwing. Because many polearms were adapted from Garden tool, agricultural implements or other fairly abundant tools, and contained relatively little metal, they were cheap to make and readily available. When belligerents in warfare had a poorer class who could not pay for dedicated military weapons, they would often appropriate tools as cheap weapons. The cost of training was comparatively low, since these conscripted farmers had spent most of their lives using these "weapons" in the fields. This made polearms the favoured weapon of peasant levies and peasant rebellions the world over. Polearms can be divided into three broad categories: those designed for extended rea ...
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Onna-musha
is a term referring to female warriors in pre-modern Japan, who were members of the ''bushi'' (warrior) class. They were trained in the use of weapons to protect their household, family, and honour in times of war; many of them fought in battle alongside samurai men. ''Onna-musha'' also have an important presence in Japanese literature, with Tomoe Gozen and Hangaku Gozen being famous and influential examples. Kamakura period The Genpei War (1180–1185) was a war between the Taira clan, Taira (Heike) and Minamoto clan, Minamoto (Genji) clans, two very prominent Japanese clans of the late-Heian period. The epic ''The Tale of the Heike'' was composed in the early 13th century in order to commemorate the stories of courageous and devoted samurai. Among those was Tomoe Gozen, servant of Minamoto no Yoshinaka of the Minamoto clan. She assisted Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Yoshinaka in defending himself against the forces of his cousin, Minamoto no Yoritomo, especially during the Battle ...
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Polearm
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee weapons, with a subclass of spear-like designs fit for thrusting and/or throwing. Because many polearms were adapted from Garden tool, agricultural implements or other fairly abundant tools, and contained relatively little metal, they were cheap to make and readily available. When belligerents in warfare had a poorer class who could not pay for dedicated military weapons, they would often appropriate tools as cheap weapons. The cost of training was comparatively low, since these conscripted farmers had spent most of their lives using these "weapons" in the fields. This made polearms the favoured weapon of peasant levies and peasant rebellions the world over. Polearms can be divided into three broad categories: those designed for extended rea ...
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Sōhei
were Buddhist warrior monks of both classical and feudal Japan. At certain points in history, they held considerable power, obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate. The prominence of the ''sōhei'' rose in parallel with the ascendancy of the Tendai school's influence between the 10th and 17th centuries. The warriors protected land and intimidated rival schools of Buddhism, becoming a significant factor in the spread of Buddhism and the development of different schools during the Kamakura period. The ''sōhei'' shared many similarities with the European lay brothers, members of a monastic order who might not have been ordained. Much like the Teutonic Order, the warrior monks of the Holy Roman Empire, and the crusading orders, ''sōhei'' did not operate as individuals, or even as members of small, individual temples, but rather as warriors in a large extended brotherhood or monastic order. The home temple of a ''sōhei'' monastic order might have h ...
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Guan Dao
A ''guandao'' is a type of Chinese polearm that is used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. In Chinese, it is properly called a ''yanyuedao'' (偃月刀; lit. "reclining moon blade"), the name under which it always appears in texts from the Song to Qing dynasties such as the '' Wujing Zongyao'' and '' Huangchao Liqi Tushi''. It is comparable to the Japanese naginata and the European fauchard or glaive and consists of a heavy blade with a spike at the back and sometimes also a notch at the spike's upper base that can catch an opponent's weapon. In addition, there are often irregular serrations that lead the back edge of the blade to the spike. The blade is mounted atop a long wooden or metal pole and a pointed metal counterweight on the opposite end, which is used to balance the heavy blade and for striking. On modern versions, a red sash or tassel is attached at the joint of the pole and blade. Variations include rings along the length of the straight back edge as fo ...
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