The Naginata is a
traditional Japanese weapon with a long and varied
history. It consists of two main parts firstly an
oak shaft; secondly its single edged blade that is mounted on one end. The total length was anywhere from 6' to 10'.
It came in to use sometime around the Nara Period (710-784 AD). Initially the Naginata was used by the Bushi, however in time was taken up as the main weapon for the Sohei or Buddhist monks. There were traditionally two varieties of Naginata the shorter of the two would be used by foot soldiers, whilst the longer variety by mounted warriors.
As is the case with other shafted weapons, it was most effectively used in a sweeping arc. These motions were more than capable of cleaving an armoured opponent in two. Stabbing motions also proved very effective against weak spots in the armour used.
The Naginata was also used very effectively against mounted opponent as it could be used to slice the horse’s legs and toppling the rider. The blade used would be manufactured in an almost identical fashion to the Katana; old unused Katana’s could be made in to a Naginata. For this reason the Naginata was treated with the same reverence as the Katana, believing that the blade contained its own spirit.
A European equivalent to the Naginata is the Halberd. The Japanese origins of the weapon are however unclear. There seems to be several theories (as explained at http://www.scnf.org/history2.html) about its initial evolution.
"The first states that the Naginata evolved from a simple farming tool used for chopping. In the early part of the third century BC, farmers attached sharp stones to the end of long wooden shafts. Later, metal was used in place of the stones".
"The second theory is that the Naginata evolved directly as a weapon. The first prototype blades were most likely made of bronze, followed later by steel. This theory sets the development of the Naginata well after the introduction of metal to Japan from the Asian continents (after 200 BC)."
"The third theory is that Chinese halberds were carried to Japan during early migrations, sometime around 200 BC. By the Han and Wei Dynasties (approximately 200 AD) these weapons closely resembled the type of Naginata eventually used by Japanese warriors. Some historians believe that, although the Chinese may have invented the weapon, it was later developed, utilised, and refined by the Japanese."(http://www.scnf.org/history2.html)
Around 1180 was the Gempei War between Minamoto and the Taira clan. During this time the Naginata's profile increased greatly. Due to this, several changes were made in armour design. An example of this was the introduction of shin guards (sune-ate), to defend against wild sweeping cuts.
In time battlefield tactics changed, mainly due to the invention of gunpowder so the old weapons fell in to disuse. The Naginata however had already been taken up by women, due to its characteristics. As previously stated, it was used mainly in large sweeping motion so aesthetically could be considered a very graceful weapon. A particularly famous woman warrior who used the Naginata is Itagaki, who was in charge of a garrison of 3,000 warriors at the Torizakayama castle.
During the Edo period, Japanese women were required to master the Naginata by age 18. This stemmed from the use of the Naginata by women defending their home and children when the men were of fighting. Attackers could be held at a fair distance due to the length of the weapon, avoiding a grappling situation. By the Edo era, Naginata were usually ornately decorated, and were considered an essential part of a woman's dowry.
Today both men and women in traditional and modern schools use the Naginata. Traditional schools e.g.Tendo Ryu, teach application through kata - both singularly and in pairs in a style almost unchanged for hundreds of years. Modern schools e.g. The International Naginata Federation have a drive towards competition, using wooden shafts with a bamboo end Kendo style competitions are held.
References
http://www.naginata.org/naginata.html
http://www.scnf.org/history.html
http://www.scnf.org/history2.html