What is the difference between a naginata and a yari?

A naginata has a curved single-edged blade — like a large sword blade on a long pole. A yari has a straight pointed blade — like a spear. The naginata is better for sweeping cuts; the yari for thrusting. In Sengoku mass formations where coordinated thrusts were needed, the yari generally superseded the naginata.

Is naginata still practised today?

Yes. Modern naginata (a sport and martial art governed by the All Japan Naginata Federation) uses flexible bamboo or synthetic weapons with protective equipment. Traditional naginatajutsu schools also survive. The art remains particularly associated with women, though men also practise. It has an international federation.

Naginata: Japan's Curved Polearm

The naginata (薙刀) is one of Japan’s most distinctive weapons — a long pole fitted with a curved blade, capable of sweeping cuts that keep enemies at a distance. It served Heian and Kamakura warriors, transitioned through the Sengoku period, and emerged in the Edo era primarily as the training weapon of samurai-class women.

What It Is

The naginata consists of a wooden shaft (typically 150-180 cm) fitted with a curved, single-edged blade (30-60 cm). The blade is similar in shape to a large sword blade — with a hamon (temper line), a sharp edge, and a curved form — mounted at the shaft’s end. [history]

This distinguishes it from the yari (straight-bladed spear): where the yari thrusts, the naginata sweeps. The different mechanics make them suited to different tactical contexts.

Battlefield History

In the Heian and Kamakura periods, the naginata appeared alongside bows and swords as a standard warrior weapon. Picture scrolls (emakimono) of the period depict both mounted and foot warriors using naginata. [history]

In the Sengoku period, the yari displaced the naginata in mass infantry formations. Coordinated spear-thrusting in tight ranks — which Nobunaga systematised — was more practical than naginata sweeps requiring lateral room. The naginata remained in use but was no longer the dominant infantry polearm. [history]

The Women’s Tradition

The naginata’s most distinctive later history is its association with women of samurai households, formalised in the Edo period. With the long Tokugawa peace, battlefield function ended; martial training became cultural practice. [history]

The naginata was identified as the appropriate training weapon for women: its reach advantage compensated for differences in upper-body strength; it was suitable for defence of the household; it could be learned without the full years of sword training. Domain schools included naginata in women’s curricula. [history]

This Edo-period institutionalisation created the strong association between naginata and women that persists today. Modern naginata practice and competition in Japan are predominantly female — a continuity of two and a half centuries of tradition.