Spears, Naginata, and Beyond — Polearms in Japanese Sword Culture

What Are Swords? — Broad Definition of "Sword Types"

When people hear "sword," most think of the daito (what is known as the Japanese sword). However, in both Japanese law regarding swords and in martial history, sword types include a much broader category. The naginata, spear (yari), sword (tsurugi), short sword, and tachi — all of these are classified as "sword types," each with its own manufacturing methods, uses, and cultural background.

This article sheds light on the naginata and spear, which often remain in the shadow of the daito, as well as unusual swords with special forms, exploring the diverse breadth of Japanese sword culture.

Structure and Historical Development of the Naginata

The naginata is a weapon with a long, curved blade attached to the end of a long shaft (nagae). The blade and shaft structure — with the habaki and nakago separating them — is based on the same forging techniques as the Japanese sword. The blade length is generally 30–60 centimeters, and the overall length including the shaft often reaches 150–200 centimeters.

From the late Heian through the Kamakura period, the naginata became widely adopted as a primary weapon for infantry fighting against mounted samurai. Its shape, optimized for sweeping the legs of horses and pulling down riders, was based on horizontal and diagonal slashing motions, as the term "nagu" (to sweep) suggests. Naginata from this era are also called "large naginata" and featured longer, more imposing blades than later versions.

From the Muromachi period onward, the spear became the dominant weapon on the battlefield, and the naginata's use shifted to rear guard and castle defense. Through this process, the blade became smaller and more refined, and the form called "small naginata" became widespread. During the Edo period, it became established as a self-defense tool and dowry item for samurai women, and "naginata technique" as a martial discipline was systematized by various schools.

The Spear — Linear Beauty and Practical Warfare

The spear is a long-shaft weapon like the naginata, but it is characterized by a straight, unadorned point rather than a curved blade. Japanese spears are broadly classified into three types: the straight spear (suguya­ri), one-sided hook spear (katakamayari), and cross-shaped spear (jumonjiyari).

Notable users are known to include:

• Sanada Yukimura (Great Chidori Cross-spear)
• Mori Nagayoshi (Ningen Mukotsu)
• Kani Saizo

During the Sengoku period, spear formations called yaribusuma — massed thrusting of closely packed spears — became so important that they determined the outcome of battles. The organized use of long spears (three-ken spears, approximately 5.4 meters) that Oda Nobunaga adopted at the Battle of Nagashino (1575) fundamentally changed the traditional cavalry-centered tactics of warfare, making it a historically significant example.

Spear manufacture directly inherited the techniques of sword smiths, and spear points made by master craftsmen are highly valued as works of art today. Several spears designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties exist, and they are recognized as having cultural asset value equivalent to that of Japanese swords.

The Lineage of Unusual Swords — Warabite Swords, Straight Swords, and Other Special Forms

"Unusual swords" is a term sometimes used to collectively describe special blades that deviate from the mainstream forms of daito, naginata, and spear. Representative examples follow.

The warabite sword (warabitetou) is a sword characterized by a unique shape in which the tang (nakago) end is coiled like a fern frond. Found mainly in northeastern and Hokkaido regions, it is deeply connected to the Emishi culture of the 7th through 9th centuries and underwent a unique development distinct from the straight-blade culture of Honshu. Some theories hold it to be one of the origins of the curved Japanese sword, and it occupies an important place in sword history.

The straight sword (tsurugi) is a two-edged straight blade that was the mainstream blade before the Nara period. As of 2026, it exists largely as a sacred object or ritual implement at shrines, bearing mythological significance exemplified by the "Kusanagi no Tsurugi." Practical sword-fighting schools are few, though some schools such as Shinto Musou-ryu teach straight sword handling.

The term Japanese sword (nihonken) is sometimes used in modern contexts to refer to the above two-edged swords. Additionally, classifications based on use forms, such as the "bare sword (suken)" with extremely simplified mounting, or the "paired swords (daishō)" combining the daito and companion sword, further demonstrate the diversity of sword types.

The modern martial discipline called naginata — while inheriting the practical techniques of the historical naginata, it has been reformed for safe competition and performance using bamboo naginata or wooden forms. Modern naginata has three domains: "rank examinations," "competition," and "demonstration," overseen by the All Japan Naginata Federation.

Naginata and Sword — Technical Interaction and Mutual Influence

Naginata technique and swordsmanship have influenced each other's technical methods throughout history. Particularly noteworthy is the training system of "naginata versus sword," with many swordcraft schools possessing forms (kata) that assume combat against the naginata.

In the Shinkage-ryu and Itto-ryu schools of swordsmanship, understanding the maai (effective range) of the naginata became an essential skill for swordsmen. The strengths of the naginata lie in its "long reach" and "wide movable blade area," and the relationship wherein the sword holds advantage at close range while the naginata dominates at distance formed the technical system.

Additionally, naginata technique has its own unique method called "ishizuki striking" — using the stone-capped end of the shaft as a striking weapon, bringing multifaceted attack options absent in swordsmanship. Multiple schools such as Kashima Shinto-ryu and Tennen Rishin-ryu studied both naginata and sword technique, placing emphasis on comprehensive martial arts training.

Naginata Culture as a Female Martial Art

Throughout the Edo period, the naginata became established as an essential martial discipline for samurai women. This stemmed from both practical and cultural reasons.

In practical terms, while husbands or fathers were away on duty or military expedition, the naginata was considered a more effective self-defense weapon for women protecting the household than the sword, due to its longer reach. The understanding spread that women, even if physically inferior to men, could hold their own through the advantage of superior reach.

Culturally, naginata training was positioned as part of "girls' education," cultivating courtesy, bearing, and spiritual discipline, becoming an accomplishment expected of samurai daughters. The custom of bringing a naginata as part of a dowry was also widely observed.

After the Meiji Restoration, naginata technique was reformed as "naginata" in the modernization of martial arts. In 1955, the All Japan Naginata Federation was established, maintaining and expanding the competitive population centered on women. As of 2026, naginata is included among martial arts elective subjects in middle and high schools, and the competitive naginata player population maintains a stable size centered on All Japan Naginata Federation registered members.

Internationally, "Naginata" has also spread, with the establishment of the International Naginata Federation, and competitive organizations are active in multiple countries.

Positioning of Unusual Swords in Contemporary Art and Martial Arts

As of 2026, the naginata, spear, and unusual swords continue to exist in three contexts: the practice of martial arts, works of art and craft, and cultural symbols.

From the craft and art perspective, contemporary sword smiths frequently undertake the production of naginata and spears. Items designated as artistic swords by the Ministry of Culture include naginata and spears, and works left by unexamined sword smiths or artisans of National Living Treasure status are housed in museums and galleries. The three-element evaluation criteria of hamon, jigane, and sugata are shared with daito, and aesthetic appreciation of naginata and spear masterpieces occupies an important place in sword appreciation culture.

From the martial arts perspective, along with a revival of traditional martial arts, the training population of naginata and spear techniques is gradually increasing. Groups preserving traditional schools such as Tentō-ryu Naginata-jutsu and Fuden-ryu Naginata-jutsu continue demonstrations and training, working to preserve practical techniques.

As a cultural symbol, the naginata frequently appears in modern film, manga, and games as an icon representing "women's strength and samurai pride." The fact that depictions of the naginata in historical dramas are becoming increasingly faithful to historical fact suggests growing social interest in sword culture.

Even as the daito has become synonymous with the "Japanese sword," the naginata, spear, and unusual swords continue to support Japanese blade culture as its rich periphery. Understanding the technique, beauty, and history inscribed on each of these blades provides a sure path to deeper comprehension of the essential diversity of Japanese sword culture.