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What is Naginata?
NAGINATA — or atarashī naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」, is a modern Japanese martial art of bamboo glaive fencing. It has preserved many techniques of traditional fencing schools called koryu naginatajutsu [古流長刀術, old fencing schools] since antiquity till present. Naginata employs kyu/dan [級/段])ranking system, where the top rank is 5 dan, however, there are no visible insignia or belts comparing to other budo. Naginata uniform is of the single design, hiding any visible ranking differences and consists of white keikogi and navy-blue hakama, men [面, a helmet], kote [小手, gauntlets], do [胴, a breastplate]. tare [垂れ, a waist/groin skirt] and suneate [臑当, shin guards]. Free practice is performed at the top speed and maximum force by the use of a shiai-naginata [試合長刀, naginata with a bamboo blade]. While kata practice employs a kata-naginata [型長刀, a wooden naginata].
A naginata [weapon] resembles a blade inserted into the top of a long pole. It was mainly used to reach opponents from long distance. Initially it sowed out fear on countless battlefields, since it could be used only by strong and skilled male warriors due to its length and weight. However, when the firearms were introduced to Japanese military, naginata had lost its overwhelming effectiveness and in the end was seen as a weapon of warrior priests (monks). Some time later, when monks were no more, naginata transformed as the only weapon of Japanese martial arts that could be used by women. Naginata had become a tool to foster virtues and cultivate character of a woman by making emphasis on etiquette.
During the Edo period wives and daughter of samurai had used naginata not only as a weapon self-defence, but an approach to cultivate moral qualities and virtues. Somewhere during this period naginata became more than just a weapon, hilts were decorated with gold and furnished with lacer, creating an essential piece of their dowry. This led to establishing of new naginatajutsu schools, each one of which had unique style of its own. The following ryuha, that have survived till nowadays, are worthy of mentioning because of plenty naginata techniques in their curriculum. Yoshin-ryu, Tendo-ryu and Jikishinkage-ryu — considered to have main influence over unified study of naginata at the begging of Showa era. At this point the consolidated naginata was called naginata-do 「薙刀道」and adopted the approach of character building to the contrary of art of killing, mainly because of integration into curriculum of schools for girls.
After Japan lost the WWII, the Allied Powers issued a directive to dissolve any and all military-related or nationalistic organisations, including fencing teaching institutions. This ban had lasted until 1952, resulted in formation of All Japan Naginata Federation — Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei 「全日本なぎなた連盟」, in 1955. It was the point where naginata split into two: koryu naginatajutsu 「古流薙刀」 and atarashi naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」.
Despite the deferences of these two martial arts, undoubtedly, they share common base and tradition. Todays naginata is the standardised mixture of old styles. Notwithstanding there is sports element in modern naginata, it is a budo, the budo that can be learned and taught lifelong by those of young and old age. The naginata concept shares said approach – naginata is not only a tool of physical perfection, but the way to self improvement.
“The Concept of atarashī naginata is to promote harmony between the mind and the body through naginata training.”
“Through the correct guidance of atarashī naginata one seeks to perfect the technique, cultivate the spirit, increase vitality and also: to train correctly within the principles of naginata, to respect discipline, to respect etiquette and cooperate with others, to learn and preserve traditional Japanese culture, cultivate mind, develop spirit and body and promote peace and prosperity among people.”
We are the only dojo in Moscow that teaches atarashi naginata and Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu.
You are welcome to stop by!
A naginata [weapon] resembles a blade inserted into the top of a long pole. It was mainly used to reach opponents from long distance. Initially it sowed out fear on countless battlefields, since it could be used only by strong and skilled male warriors due to its length and weight. However, when the firearms were introduced to Japanese military, naginata had lost its overwhelming effectiveness and in the end was seen as a weapon of warrior priests (monks). Some time later, when monks were no more, naginata transformed as the only weapon of Japanese martial arts that could be used by women. Naginata had become a tool to foster virtues and cultivate character of a woman by making emphasis on etiquette.
During the Edo period wives and daughter of samurai had used naginata not only as a weapon self-defence, but an approach to cultivate moral qualities and virtues. Somewhere during this period naginata became more than just a weapon, hilts were decorated with gold and furnished with lacer, creating an essential piece of their dowry. This led to establishing of new naginatajutsu schools, each one of which had unique style of its own. The following ryuha, that have survived till nowadays, are worthy of mentioning because of plenty naginata techniques in their curriculum. Yoshin-ryu, Tendo-ryu and Jikishinkage-ryu — considered to have main influence over unified study of naginata at the begging of Showa era. At this point the consolidated naginata was called naginata-do 「薙刀道」and adopted the approach of character building to the contrary of art of killing, mainly because of integration into curriculum of schools for girls.
After Japan lost the WWII, the Allied Powers issued a directive to dissolve any and all military-related or nationalistic organisations, including fencing teaching institutions. This ban had lasted until 1952, resulted in formation of All Japan Naginata Federation — Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei 「全日本なぎなた連盟」, in 1955. It was the point where naginata split into two: koryu naginatajutsu 「古流薙刀」 and atarashi naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」.
Despite the deferences of these two martial arts, undoubtedly, they share common base and tradition. Todays naginata is the standardised mixture of old styles. Notwithstanding there is sports element in modern naginata, it is a budo, the budo that can be learned and taught lifelong by those of young and old age. The naginata concept shares said approach – naginata is not only a tool of physical perfection, but the way to self improvement.
“The Concept of atarashī naginata is to promote harmony between the mind and the body through naginata training.”
“Through the correct guidance of atarashī naginata one seeks to perfect the technique, cultivate the spirit, increase vitality and also: to train correctly within the principles of naginata, to respect discipline, to respect etiquette and cooperate with others, to learn and preserve traditional Japanese culture, cultivate mind, develop spirit and body and promote peace and prosperity among people.”
We are the only dojo in Moscow that teaches atarashi naginata and Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu.
You are welcome to stop by!
What is Naginata?
NAGINATA — or atarashī naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」, is a modern Japanese martial art of bamboo glaive fencing. It has preserved many techniques of traditional fencing schools called koryu naginatajutsu [古流長刀術, old fencing schools] since antiquity till present. Naginata employs kyu/dan [級/段])ranking system, where the top rank is 5 dan, however, there are no visible insignia or belts comparing to other budo. Naginata uniform is of the single design, hiding any visible ranking differences and consists of white keikogi and navy-blue hakama, men [面, a helmet], kote [小手, gauntlets], do [胴, a breastplate]. tare [垂れ, a waist/groin skirt] and suneate [臑当, shin guards]. Free practice is performed at the top speed and maximum force by the use of a shiai-naginata [試合長刀, naginata with a bamboo blade]. While kata practice employs a kata-naginata [型長刀, a wooden naginata].
A naginata [weapon] resembles a blade inserted into the top of a long pole. It was mainly used to reach opponents from long distance. Initially it sowed out fear on countless battlefields, since it could be used only by strong and skilled male warriors due to its length and weight. However, when the firearms were introduced to Japanese military, naginata had lost its overwhelming effectiveness and in the end was seen as a weapon of warrior priests (monks). Some time later, when monks were no more, naginata transformed as the only weapon of Japanese martial arts that could be used by women. Naginata had become a tool to foster virtues and cultivate character of a woman by making emphasis on etiquette.
During the Edo period wives and daughter of samurai had used naginata not only as a weapon self-defence, but an approach to cultivate moral qualities and virtues. Somewhere during this period naginata became more than just a weapon, hilts were decorated with gold and furnished with lacer, creating an essential piece of their dowry. This led to establishing of new naginatajutsu schools, each one of which had unique style of its own. The following ryuha, that have survived till nowadays, are worthy of mentioning because of plenty naginata techniques in their curriculum. Yoshin-ryu, Tendo-ryu and Jikishinkage-ryu — considered to have main influence over unified study of naginata at the begging of Showa era. At this point the consolidated naginata was called naginata-do 「薙刀道」and adopted the approach of character building to the contrary of art of killing, mainly because of integration into curriculum of schools for girls.
After Japan lost the WWII, the Allied Powers issued a directive to dissolve any and all military-related or nationalistic organisations, including fencing teaching institutions. This ban had lasted until 1952, resulted in formation of All Japan Naginata Federation — Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei 「全日本なぎなた連盟」, in 1955. It was the point where naginata split into two: koryu naginatajutsu 「古流薙刀」 and atarashi naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」.
Despite the deferences of these two martial arts, undoubtedly, they share common base and tradition. Todays naginata is the standardised mixture of old styles. Notwithstanding there is sports element in modern naginata, it is a budo, the budo that can be learned and taught lifelong by those of young and old age. The naginata concept shares said approach – naginata is not only a tool of physical perfection, but the way to self improvement.
“The Concept of atarashī naginata is to promote harmony between the mind and the body through naginata training.”
“Through the correct guidance of atarashī naginata one seeks to perfect the technique, cultivate the spirit, increase vitality and also: to train correctly within the principles of naginata, to respect discipline, to respect etiquette and cooperate with others, to learn and preserve traditional Japanese culture, cultivate mind, develop spirit and body and promote peace and prosperity among people.”
We are the only dojo in Moscow that teaches atarashi naginata and Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu.
You are welcome to stop by!
A naginata [weapon] resembles a blade inserted into the top of a long pole. It was mainly used to reach opponents from long distance. Initially it sowed out fear on countless battlefields, since it could be used only by strong and skilled male warriors due to its length and weight. However, when the firearms were introduced to Japanese military, naginata had lost its overwhelming effectiveness and in the end was seen as a weapon of warrior priests (monks). Some time later, when monks were no more, naginata transformed as the only weapon of Japanese martial arts that could be used by women. Naginata had become a tool to foster virtues and cultivate character of a woman by making emphasis on etiquette.
During the Edo period wives and daughter of samurai had used naginata not only as a weapon self-defence, but an approach to cultivate moral qualities and virtues. Somewhere during this period naginata became more than just a weapon, hilts were decorated with gold and furnished with lacer, creating an essential piece of their dowry. This led to establishing of new naginatajutsu schools, each one of which had unique style of its own. The following ryuha, that have survived till nowadays, are worthy of mentioning because of plenty naginata techniques in their curriculum. Yoshin-ryu, Tendo-ryu and Jikishinkage-ryu — considered to have main influence over unified study of naginata at the begging of Showa era. At this point the consolidated naginata was called naginata-do 「薙刀道」and adopted the approach of character building to the contrary of art of killing, mainly because of integration into curriculum of schools for girls.
After Japan lost the WWII, the Allied Powers issued a directive to dissolve any and all military-related or nationalistic organisations, including fencing teaching institutions. This ban had lasted until 1952, resulted in formation of All Japan Naginata Federation — Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei 「全日本なぎなた連盟」, in 1955. It was the point where naginata split into two: koryu naginatajutsu 「古流薙刀」 and atarashi naginata [modern naginata] 「新しいなぎなた」.
Despite the deferences of these two martial arts, undoubtedly, they share common base and tradition. Todays naginata is the standardised mixture of old styles. Notwithstanding there is sports element in modern naginata, it is a budo, the budo that can be learned and taught lifelong by those of young and old age. The naginata concept shares said approach – naginata is not only a tool of physical perfection, but the way to self improvement.
“The Concept of atarashī naginata is to promote harmony between the mind and the body through naginata training.”
“Through the correct guidance of atarashī naginata one seeks to perfect the technique, cultivate the spirit, increase vitality and also: to train correctly within the principles of naginata, to respect discipline, to respect etiquette and cooperate with others, to learn and preserve traditional Japanese culture, cultivate mind, develop spirit and body and promote peace and prosperity among people.”
We are the only dojo in Moscow that teaches atarashi naginata and Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu.
You are welcome to stop by!