Polearms are long, hafted weapons designed for two-handed use. Polearms
were introduced to give the foot solider a weapon capable of dealing
with the heavily armored knight and were developed in warfare for
combatting mounted soldiers and those with heavy armor. The Japanese polearm, commonly called the "Naginata" is considered one of the fiercest polearms in history. The instrument developed from an agricultural implement but evolved into a weapon style of its own. Japanese warriors studied naginatajutsu (the art of the curved blade), a martial art devoted exclusively to the employment of the naginata in combat.
The Japanese polearm or the Naginata, uses a top-quality samurai sword at the end of the pole, and the weapon is backed up by a long-developed and rigorous martial art. When combined with this expertise it was a formidable weapon. The naginata consisted of a katana quality blade attached to a wooden staff. Like other Japanese blades, the naginata was crafted of the highest quality materials and workmanship. The blade tang (portion which fits into the staff) was sometimes as long as the blade itself; thus, it was nearly impossible to break the blade off the staff.
