The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihonto) in the form of a pole weapon. Naginatas were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks). The naginata is the iconic weapon of the onna-bugeisha-archetype; a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility.

A naginata consists of a wooden pole with a curved single-edged blade on the end; it is similar to the Chinese guandao and the European glaive. Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae. The 30 cm to 60 cm long 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.

See Also:

• polearm
• naginata
• guandao
• glaive
• swordstaff
• spear