Classifications
of Swords
The
Culture of Japanese Swords
Outfit
and Accessories
Military
Swords
Spears
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Spears and Long Blade Weapons [Yari
to Naginata]
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Spears and other long stick weapons
called Naginata were also important weapons at war and for defensive
purposes. One Samurai family equipped its soldiers with about
same number of spears as bows, the total of which was equal
to one half the guns employed as weapons.
There are mainly two kinds of blades for spears; one is Su-yari,
which is a straight blade, and the other is Kama-yari, which
has a cross blade. The Su-yari has two kinds of shafts; one
is very long , usually about eight to twelve feet, and the other
is four of five feet long. Some of the long ones were used offensively
in warfare and the short ones were used for defensive purposes.
Even the long shaft spear identified the appearance of a family,
and such a spear might have a long blade called Omi-yari. Sometimes
an Omi-yari has a fancy scabbard. The cross blade spear is called
Jyu-monnji-yari and it is not so long; it is six to seven feet
overall and it has a blade of seven inches long and five inches
wide. The Omi-yari is a weapon of high ranking Samurai.
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Long Spears |
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At
the top is a Jumuonji-Yari which has a blade in the shape
of a cross; its overall length is 210cm (seven feet).
Below it is a long spear with a short blade whose overall
length is 240cm (eight feet.)
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Blades
and Cases |
At the left
is a spear in the shape of a cross which is very old.
Of the Ko-tou era, and the blade is 22cm long and 16cm
wide. To its right is a long sper with a short blade (15cm)
and a very long case. Next to the right is a "Naginata,"
with a wooden case covered with leather; its blade length
is 38cm. The round leather plate beside it is called a
"Yari-shirushi," which is a family identification.
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Long
Blade Weapons [Naginata]
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The Naginata was an old weapon
used against warriors on horses. It began with sword blades
fixed to long wooden sticks. It was a heavy weapon but later
in the Shinto period a lighter Naginata appeared and this weapon
was used by women to protect themselves. Naginata-jyutu became
one of the female martial arts.
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The
overall length of this weapon is 210cm (seven feet.) The
end of the stick mounts a sharp block of iron. Before
the 16th century these weapons were used against horseman,
but later the Naginata became the weapons of women. |
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