Naginata
The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihontō).[1][2] Naginata were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks).[3] 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[edit]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[4] or the European glaive.[5] Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae (furniture). The 30 cm to 60 cm (11.8 inches to 23.6 inches) 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 called mekugi (目釘) that passes through a hole (mekugi-ana) in both the tang and the shaft. The shaft ranges from 120 cm to 240 cm (47.2 inches to 94.5 inches) in length and is oval shaped. The area of the shaft where the tang sits is the tachiuchi or tachiuke. The tachiuchi/tachiuke would be reinforced with metal rings (naginata dogane or semegane), and/or metal sleeves (sakawa) and wrapped with cord (san-dan maki). The end of the shaft has a heavy metal end cap (ishizuki or hirumaki). When not in use the blade would be covered with a wooden sheath.[3]
Description[edit]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[4] or the European glaive.[5] Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae (furniture). The 30 cm to 60 cm (11.8 inches to 23.6 inches) 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 called mekugi (目釘) that passes through a hole (mekugi-ana) in both the tang and the shaft. The shaft ranges from 120 cm to 240 cm (47.2 inches to 94.5 inches) in length and is oval shaped. The area of the shaft where the tang sits is the tachiuchi or tachiuke. The tachiuchi/tachiuke would be reinforced with metal rings (naginata dogane or semegane), and/or metal sleeves (sakawa) and wrapped with cord (san-dan maki). The end of the shaft has a heavy metal end cap (ishizuki or hirumaki). When not in use the blade would be covered with a wooden sheath.[3]
Yari
Yari (槍) is the term for a traditionally-made Japanese blade (日本刀; nihontō)[2][3] in the form of a spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear.[4] The martial art of wielding the yari is called sōjutsu.
History
Ukiyo-e print of a samurai general holding a yari in his right handThe forerunner of the yari is thought to be a hoko yari derived from a Chinese spear. These hoko yari are thought to be from the Nara period (710–794).[5][6]
The term 'yari' appeared for the first time in written sources in 1334, but this type of spear did not become popular until the late 15th century.[1] The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for commoners; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who would challenge each other via horseback archery.[7] In the late Heian period, battles on foot began to increase and naginata, a bladed polearm, became a main weapon along with a yumi (longbow).[8]
The attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 was one of the factors that changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongols employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielding long pikes and fought in tight formations. They moved in large units to stave off cavalry.[7] Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their significantly longer reach, lighter weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability.[7]
History
Ukiyo-e print of a samurai general holding a yari in his right handThe forerunner of the yari is thought to be a hoko yari derived from a Chinese spear. These hoko yari are thought to be from the Nara period (710–794).[5][6]
The term 'yari' appeared for the first time in written sources in 1334, but this type of spear did not become popular until the late 15th century.[1] The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for commoners; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who would challenge each other via horseback archery.[7] In the late Heian period, battles on foot began to increase and naginata, a bladed polearm, became a main weapon along with a yumi (longbow).[8]
The attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 was one of the factors that changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongols employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielding long pikes and fought in tight formations. They moved in large units to stave off cavalry.[7] Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their significantly longer reach, lighter weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability.[7]
Katana
A katana (刀, かたな) is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the tachi, it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge facing upward. Since the Muromachi period, many old tachi were cut from the root and shortened, and the blade at the root was crushed and converted into a katana.[4] The specific term for katana in Japan is uchigatana (打刀) and the term katana (刀) often refers to single-edged swords from around the world.[5]
Etymology and loanwords[edit]
Japanese Edo period wood block print (ca 1735) of a samurai with a tachi and a wakizashi (or kodachi)The word katana first appears in Japanese in the Nihon Shoki of 720. The term is a compound of kata ("one side, one-sided") + na ("blade"),[6][7][8] in contrast to the double-sided tsurugi. See more at the Wiktionary entry.
The katana belongs to the nihontō family of swords, and is distinguished by a blade length (nagasa) of more than 2 shaku, approximately 60 cm (24 in).[9]
Katana can also be known as dai or daitō among Western sword enthusiasts, although daitō is a generic name for any Japanese long sword, literally meaning "big sword".[10]
As Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both katanas and katana are considered acceptable forms in English.[11]
Pronounced [katana], the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji 刀, originally meaning single edged blade (of any length) in Chinese, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese.[12] In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana) means "large knife" or machete.[12]
Etymology and loanwords[edit]
Japanese Edo period wood block print (ca 1735) of a samurai with a tachi and a wakizashi (or kodachi)The word katana first appears in Japanese in the Nihon Shoki of 720. The term is a compound of kata ("one side, one-sided") + na ("blade"),[6][7][8] in contrast to the double-sided tsurugi. See more at the Wiktionary entry.
The katana belongs to the nihontō family of swords, and is distinguished by a blade length (nagasa) of more than 2 shaku, approximately 60 cm (24 in).[9]
Katana can also be known as dai or daitō among Western sword enthusiasts, although daitō is a generic name for any Japanese long sword, literally meaning "big sword".[10]
As Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both katanas and katana are considered acceptable forms in English.[11]
Pronounced [katana], the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji 刀, originally meaning single edged blade (of any length) in Chinese, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese.[12] In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana) means "large knife" or machete.[12]
Nunchuku
The nunchaku (/nʌnˈtʃækuː/) (Japanese: ヌンチャク, sometimes "dual-section stick", "nunchuks"[1] (/ˈnʌntʃʌks/), "nunchucks",[2] "chainsticks",[3] or "chuka sticks"[4] in English)[a] is a traditional East-Asian martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (12") (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person who has practiced using this weapon is referred to in Japanese as nunchakuka (ヌンチャク家, nunchakuka).
Vietnamese master Hà Dũng performs nunchakuThe nunchaku is most widely used in Southern Chinese Kung fu, Okinawan Kobudo and karate. It is intended to be used as a training weapon, since practicing with it enables the development of quick hand movements and improves posture. Modern nunchaku may be made of metal, plastic, or fiberglass instead of the traditional wood. Toy versions and replicas not intended to be used as weapons may be made of polystyrene foam or plastic. Possession of this weapon is illegal in some countries, except for use in professional martial arts schools.
The origin of the nunchaku is unclear. One traditional explanation holds that it was originally invented by Emperor Taizu of Song, as a weapon in war. Another weapon, called the tabak-toyok, native to the northern Philippines, is constructed very similarly, suggesting that it and the nunchaku descended from the same instrument.
In modern times, the nunchaku (Tabak-Toyok) was popularized by the actor and martial artist Bruce Lee and by Dan Inosanto.[5] Lee famously used nunchaku in several scenes in the 1972 film Fist of Fury.[6] When Tadashi Yamashita worked with Bruce Lee on the 1973 film Enter the Dragon, he enabled Lee to further explore the use of the nunchaku and other kobudo disciplines. The nunchaku is also the signature weapon of the character Michelangelo in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Vietnamese master Hà Dũng performs nunchakuThe nunchaku is most widely used in Southern Chinese Kung fu, Okinawan Kobudo and karate. It is intended to be used as a training weapon, since practicing with it enables the development of quick hand movements and improves posture. Modern nunchaku may be made of metal, plastic, or fiberglass instead of the traditional wood. Toy versions and replicas not intended to be used as weapons may be made of polystyrene foam or plastic. Possession of this weapon is illegal in some countries, except for use in professional martial arts schools.
The origin of the nunchaku is unclear. One traditional explanation holds that it was originally invented by Emperor Taizu of Song, as a weapon in war. Another weapon, called the tabak-toyok, native to the northern Philippines, is constructed very similarly, suggesting that it and the nunchaku descended from the same instrument.
In modern times, the nunchaku (Tabak-Toyok) was popularized by the actor and martial artist Bruce Lee and by Dan Inosanto.[5] Lee famously used nunchaku in several scenes in the 1972 film Fist of Fury.[6] When Tadashi Yamashita worked with Bruce Lee on the 1973 film Enter the Dragon, he enabled Lee to further explore the use of the nunchaku and other kobudo disciplines. The nunchaku is also the signature weapon of the character Michelangelo in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Sai
The sai (Japanese: 釵, lit. 'hairpin'; Chinese: 鐵尺, lit. 'iron ruler') is a pointed melee weapon from Okinawa. It is historically utilized in martial arts such as Okinawan kobudō and southern Chinese martial arts, and has been absorbed into the curriculum of many modern martial arts. The weapon is primarily used for stabbing, striking, parrying and disarming opponents. The sai consists of a pointed metal main prong, that projects from a one-handed grip, two shorter metal side prongs, which project from the opposite sides of the base of the main prong and point in the same direction as it, and a blunt metal pommel fixed to the bottom end of the grip. Okinawan kobudō spread to Japan in the early 20th Century alongside Karate, and it came to international attention when martial arts became popular in the mid-20th Century.
History[edit]
An antique sai (left) and an antique tekpi (right)Before its use in Okinawa, similar weapons were already being used in other Asian countries including India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.[1] The basic concept of the sai may have been brought to Okinawa from one or several of these places over time.[2] Some sources theorize that the weapon may be based on the Indian trisula, an ancient Hindu-Buddhist symbol[3] that may have spread along with Hinduism and Buddhism into South-East Asia.[4] The word trisula itself can refer to either a long or short-handled trident.
In Okinawa the sai was used by the domestic police (ufuchiku) to arrest criminals and for crowd control. Use of the sai in Okinawan kobudō was improved in 1668 by Moto Chohei, an Okinawan prince.[5]
Japan had a similar weapon, the jitte, which was originally used as a blunt weapon by guards in the Shogun's palace, and was subsequently issued to senior officials as a badge of office. Edo period examples of the jitte typically have only a single hook. The relationship between the sai and jitte is unclear.
History[edit]
An antique sai (left) and an antique tekpi (right)Before its use in Okinawa, similar weapons were already being used in other Asian countries including India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.[1] The basic concept of the sai may have been brought to Okinawa from one or several of these places over time.[2] Some sources theorize that the weapon may be based on the Indian trisula, an ancient Hindu-Buddhist symbol[3] that may have spread along with Hinduism and Buddhism into South-East Asia.[4] The word trisula itself can refer to either a long or short-handled trident.
In Okinawa the sai was used by the domestic police (ufuchiku) to arrest criminals and for crowd control. Use of the sai in Okinawan kobudō was improved in 1668 by Moto Chohei, an Okinawan prince.[5]
Japan had a similar weapon, the jitte, which was originally used as a blunt weapon by guards in the Shogun's palace, and was subsequently issued to senior officials as a badge of office. Edo period examples of the jitte typically have only a single hook. The relationship between the sai and jitte is unclear.
Tonfa
The tonfa (Okinawan: トンファー tonfā, Chinese: 柺; pinyin: guǎi lit. old man's staff / "crutch", also spelled as tongfa or tuifa, also known as T-baton[1]) is a melee weapon with its origins in the armed component of Okinawan martial arts where it is known as the tunkua. It consists of a stick with a perpendicular handle attached a third of the way down the length of the stick, and is about 15–20 inches (380–510 mm) long.[2] It was traditionally made from red or white oak, and wielded in pairs.[3] The tonfa is believed to have originated in either China, Okinawa or Southeast Asia, where it is used in the respective fighting styles.
History[edit]Traditional origin story[edit]The tonfa belongs to a group of ancient weapons called kobudo weapons. When the Ryukyu islands were independent from Japan, Ryukyuans used the tonfa against the Japanese samurai.[4] The Japanese confiscated the weapons of the Ryukyuans, who developed clever ways to defend themselves using everyday objects. The millstone handle evolved into the tonfa. The tonfa along with the other kobudo weapons were working tools that were used in farming and fishing in ancient Okinawa. The tonfa was used as the handle of a millstone tool to prepare grains.
History[edit]Traditional origin story[edit]The tonfa belongs to a group of ancient weapons called kobudo weapons. When the Ryukyu islands were independent from Japan, Ryukyuans used the tonfa against the Japanese samurai.[4] The Japanese confiscated the weapons of the Ryukyuans, who developed clever ways to defend themselves using everyday objects. The millstone handle evolved into the tonfa. The tonfa along with the other kobudo weapons were working tools that were used in farming and fishing in ancient Okinawa. The tonfa was used as the handle of a millstone tool to prepare grains.
Jo staff
A jō (杖:じょう) is an approximately 1.27-metre (4.2 ft) wooden staff, used in some Japanese martial arts. The martial art of wielding the jō is called jōjutsu or jōdō. Also, aiki-jō is a set of techniques in aikido which uses the jō to illustrate aikido's principles with a weapon. The jō staff is shorter than the bō. Today, the jō is still used by some Japanese police forces.
Legendary origin[edit]The techniques for jō were reportedly invented by Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想 權之助 勝吉, fl. c.1605, date of death unknown) after he was defeated by the famous swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵, 1584–1645). They fought each other in a duel sometime between 1608 and 1611, according to Kenji Tokitsu. The record mentioning this duel, the Nitenki (二天記), recounts:
When Musashi was in Edo, he met an adept named Musō Gonnosuke, who asked to fight him. Gonnosuke used a wooden sword. Musashi was in the process of making a small Bō; he picked up a piece of firewood. Gonnosuke attacked him without even bowing, but he received a blow from Musashi that made him fall down. He was impressed and left.
A different text, the Kaijo Monogatari (dated to 1666) differs considerably from the Nitenki version. In it, Gonnosuke is a boastful and brash warrior who duels Musashi intending to see how Musashi compares with Musashi's father in swordsmanship. The fight occurs in Akashi, not Edo, and Gonnosuke wields a staff four shaku in length and reinforced with steel rings. After his defeat, he then went to Mount Hōman-zan in Chikuzen (near Fukuoka), where he practiced considerably, changing his preferred weapon to four shaku and two sun in length – 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) as compared to 1.21 m (4 ft 0 in).
The school he founded to transmit his techniques has some old records which claims that Gonnosuke, struck by his defeat, went into solitary meditation until he received divine inspiration in a dream; he then invented techniques to fight against Musashi's two swords using only a stick, and defeated Musashi on their next encounter. Assuming the records are accurate and genuine, this would be the only time Musashi was defeated,[1] as the vast majority of documentation states that Musashi was never defeated.
Legendary origin[edit]The techniques for jō were reportedly invented by Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想 權之助 勝吉, fl. c.1605, date of death unknown) after he was defeated by the famous swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵, 1584–1645). They fought each other in a duel sometime between 1608 and 1611, according to Kenji Tokitsu. The record mentioning this duel, the Nitenki (二天記), recounts:
When Musashi was in Edo, he met an adept named Musō Gonnosuke, who asked to fight him. Gonnosuke used a wooden sword. Musashi was in the process of making a small Bō; he picked up a piece of firewood. Gonnosuke attacked him without even bowing, but he received a blow from Musashi that made him fall down. He was impressed and left.
A different text, the Kaijo Monogatari (dated to 1666) differs considerably from the Nitenki version. In it, Gonnosuke is a boastful and brash warrior who duels Musashi intending to see how Musashi compares with Musashi's father in swordsmanship. The fight occurs in Akashi, not Edo, and Gonnosuke wields a staff four shaku in length and reinforced with steel rings. After his defeat, he then went to Mount Hōman-zan in Chikuzen (near Fukuoka), where he practiced considerably, changing his preferred weapon to four shaku and two sun in length – 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) as compared to 1.21 m (4 ft 0 in).
The school he founded to transmit his techniques has some old records which claims that Gonnosuke, struck by his defeat, went into solitary meditation until he received divine inspiration in a dream; he then invented techniques to fight against Musashi's two swords using only a stick, and defeated Musashi on their next encounter. Assuming the records are accurate and genuine, this would be the only time Musashi was defeated,[1] as the vast majority of documentation states that Musashi was never defeated.
Bo staff
A bō (棒) (pong (Korean); pang (Cantonese); bang (Mandarin);[1][2] kun (Okinawan)) is a staff weapon used in Okinawa. Bō are typically around 1.8 m (71 in) long and used in Okinawan martial arts, while being adopted into Japanese arts such particular bōjutsu. Other staff-related weapons are the jō, which is 1.2 m (47 in) long, and the hanbō (half bō), which is 90 cm (35 in) long.[3][4][5]
Types[edit]The bō is usually made with unfinished (no varnish, stain, etc) hard wood or a flexible wood, such as red or white oak, although bamboo and pine wood have been used; more common still is rattan wood for its flexibility. The modern bō may be tapered in that it can be thicker in the center (chukon-bu) than at the ends (kontei)[6] and is usually round or circular (maru-bo). Some bō are very light, with metallic sides, stripes and a grip which are used for XMA and competitions/demonstrations. Older bō were round (maru-bo), square (kaku-bo)[7] (rokkaku-bo) or octagonal (hakkaku-bo). The average size of a bō is 6 shaku (around 6 ft (1.8 m)) but they can be as long as 9 ft (2.7 m) (kyu-shaku-bō).[2]
A 6 ft (1.8 m) bō is sometimes called a rokushakubō (六尺棒). This name derives from the Japanese words roku (六), meaning "six"; shaku (尺); and bō. The shaku is a Japanese measurement equivalent to 30.3 centimeters (0.994 ft). Thus, rokushakubō refers to a staff about 6-shaku (1.82 m; 5.96 feet) long. The bō is typically 3 cm (1.25 inch) thick, sometimes gradually tapering from the middle (chukon-bu) to 2 cm (0.75 inch) at the end (kontei). Traditional bō are not tapered. This thickness allows the user to make a tight fist around it in order to block and counter an attack.[2]
In some cases for training purposes or for a different style, and in more recent years, rattan is used.[8] Some were inlaid or banded with strips of iron or other metals for extra strength.[7] Bō range from heavy to light, from rigid to highly flexible, and from simple pieces of wood picked up from the side of the road to ornately decorated works of art.
Types[edit]The bō is usually made with unfinished (no varnish, stain, etc) hard wood or a flexible wood, such as red or white oak, although bamboo and pine wood have been used; more common still is rattan wood for its flexibility. The modern bō may be tapered in that it can be thicker in the center (chukon-bu) than at the ends (kontei)[6] and is usually round or circular (maru-bo). Some bō are very light, with metallic sides, stripes and a grip which are used for XMA and competitions/demonstrations. Older bō were round (maru-bo), square (kaku-bo)[7] (rokkaku-bo) or octagonal (hakkaku-bo). The average size of a bō is 6 shaku (around 6 ft (1.8 m)) but they can be as long as 9 ft (2.7 m) (kyu-shaku-bō).[2]
A 6 ft (1.8 m) bō is sometimes called a rokushakubō (六尺棒). This name derives from the Japanese words roku (六), meaning "six"; shaku (尺); and bō. The shaku is a Japanese measurement equivalent to 30.3 centimeters (0.994 ft). Thus, rokushakubō refers to a staff about 6-shaku (1.82 m; 5.96 feet) long. The bō is typically 3 cm (1.25 inch) thick, sometimes gradually tapering from the middle (chukon-bu) to 2 cm (0.75 inch) at the end (kontei). Traditional bō are not tapered. This thickness allows the user to make a tight fist around it in order to block and counter an attack.[2]
In some cases for training purposes or for a different style, and in more recent years, rattan is used.[8] Some were inlaid or banded with strips of iron or other metals for extra strength.[7] Bō range from heavy to light, from rigid to highly flexible, and from simple pieces of wood picked up from the side of the road to ornately decorated works of art.
Wakizaki
The wakizashi (Japanese: 脇差, "side inserted [sword]"[1]) is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (nihontō)[2][3] worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. Its name refers to the practice of wearing it inserted through one's obi or sash at one's side, whereas the larger tachi sword was worn slung from a cord.
History and use[edit]The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:[4]
History and use[edit]The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:[4]
- Jokotō (ancient swords, until around AD 900)
- Kotō (old swords from around 900–1596)
- Shintō (new swords 1596–1780)
- Shinshintō (newer swords 1781–1876)
- Gendaitō (modern or contemporary swords 1876–present)