Naginata Sword

Naginata (Japanese: なぎなた or 薙刀) is a traditional Japanese weapon used by samurai. Naginata is associated with women in modern Japan, and women actually study it (learn to fight) more than men, while in Europe and Australia, naginata fighting is mainly (but not exclusively) practiced by men. The naginata consists of a wooden hilt and a blade at its end; it is similar to the Chinese Guan Dao or the European halberd, or even better the so-called scythe. The naginata usually had a guard similar to the guard of a sword - TSUBA - between the blade and the hilt. The art of fighting with a naginata is called naginatajutsu. Today's naginata fighting is mostly a modernized form of Gendai Budo - called atarashii naginata (lit. New naginata) in which they also compete. The use of naginata is also taught in Budjikan and some koryu schools. Naginata users can wear a modified version of the protective armor taken from kendo users known as bogu.