Fine Steel Naginata  

 

Actually, if I may correct a couple inaccuracies...

The naginata first appeared in Japan between the 7th and 8th centuries, although the first standardized naginatajutsu/nagaiatado (basically a set of techniques, or methods) is commonly recognized as having been founded in 1168. The naginata is a polearm consisting of a curved, tanged blad affixed to a stout pole that usually had a metal "cap" at it's butt. Blade lengths ranged anywhere from 8" up to about 24". Also, the nagamaki is a similar weapon consisting of a longer, heavier blade with a shorter pole.

The naginata was best used as an anti-cavalry weapon with which the wielder would attemp to dismount a cavalryman by attacking the legs of his mount. Once the rider was unseated, it was a much more even fight. =) The weapon is extremly awkward to wield on horseback due to several factors; it's rather heavy, and the curved blade (primarily meant for slashing, not piercing) is difficult to utilize effectivly without your own footwork, among others. Beasue of this, it was generally reserved for the unmounted warrior.

Eventually warfare changed in feudal Japan, and the naginata saw less and less use on the battlefield. In it's place, various forms of yari (spears) were used. They were a more effective against a sword than the naginata, and they were also much easier to wield from hourseback as well.

This is where the part about being a "woman's weapon" comes in. Although it was not used much on the battlefield after the 1450's, it became an extremly popular weapon amongst the women od the Bushi (warrior) class as a household weapon. In fact, there was a point at which all women of the bushi class were REQUIRED by law to be proficent in the use og a naginata. However, this does not mean that it was ONLY used by females.

Today there are only a few schools of naginata technique. And, indeed, most of the practicioners are women.
There you go. I'm not an expert, but I've trained with the naginata a little bit, so I've picked up bits and pieces of it's history. /shrug Just wanted to correct a few erroneous pieces of info. =D

PS - Yes, some of the explanations were over simplified for the sake of keeping the explanation "short"....so please nobody rip me a new one for omitting any minor points. lol Thanks.