When it comes to the naginata swords, it is not one specific type of sword but rather refers to different types of blades that the Japanese people used depending upon their era of history. Let’s look at the importance and value of naginata swords in Japanese culture.
Age of naginata sword
Although some people have different beliefs as to when these types of swords were produced and used by soldiers, the majority of them say that it dates back to around 1146 during the Heian period. Moreover, many people, particularly Japanese history scholars, believe that the naginata sword actually was derived and descended from a weapon known as hoko Kari, which was used in China. Although other weapons such as katana and wakizashi were used by the majority of soldiers on the battlefield, the naginata sword also was a weapon held by samurai soldiers.
Features of naginata swords
Amongst the many types of naginata swords and their authentic specifications, the majority of them had a mass that was close to 6.5 to 7.0 kg. The mass depended upon the length and the strong metal used to make the blade and the hilt. Most of the naginata sword hilt was made of wood horn or even lacquer which was high-quality material. The length of the blades varied from 205 to 206cm, which shows how powerful the words are.
How was the naginata sword used in the Heian period?
During the period of Heian, the genpei war came into being in the years of 1180 to 1185. During this time the taira clan rose and fought against the clan of Minamoto, which essentially caused the upbringing and use of the highly powerful naginata sword.
When learned in detail about the history of the wars, it can be concluded that various lengths of the naginata swords were used by various strong warriors. During this time, the use of hand in hand close combat was common and effective in fighting opponents; the use of naginata also became popular to maintain distance.
Is the naginata sword still in use today?
With the rise of modernism and techniques to make the best and strongest of combat weapons, the naginata swords are still being manufactured and used by experts at a regional, national, and even international level in competitions. There are places where you could get custom Naginata swords that can be used as a piece of history.
The use of naginata sword
I’m modern times, naginata swords are used by experts who have professionally trained to learn martial arts and are placed to compete with talented opponents organized by large corporate federations. The sword can be used to batter or hook an opponent, which is attained due to the balanced center of mass of the blade.
On the battlefield, the sword was used to create a personal safe area from an opponent by reaching and swinging around the enemy. Although the weight of the sword may come as a disadvantage to many, its sharpness and ability to strike an opponent outweigh its drawback.
Conclusion
Due to the strength and high command of the naginata sword, it can be regarded as a sword worth being praised. The history that is attached to this sword holds immense importance in many Japanese people and is therefore still in use today.