Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan

by Roald Knutsen

This is the first book in English to provide a fully illustrated guide to the use of polearms - ranging from the earliest halberds and spears reaching Japan from the Asian mainland to the sophisticated naginata, nagamaki and various forms of yari used by the Japanese samurai through the medieval period. While the sword remains the best known of Japanese weapons, it was the halberd (naginata) and then the yari that dominated the battlefields up to the early seventeenth century, and thereafter the yari became an important status symbol to many warrior families. Additionally, the authors focus on the actual method of use of these weapons, hitherto an almost unknown aspect in the West.

Genres: Martial Arts

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2004

Reviews

[Mads]

Interesting text, but no references and no link between illustrations and text.