Samurai polearms

The naginata (, , ) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihontō). Naginata were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks). The naginata is the iconic weapon of the onna-musha, a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility.

thumb|Three (, , and ) mounted in , including one with an asymmetrical crossbar () is the term for a traditionally-made in the form of a spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear. The martial art of wielding the is called .

thumb|upright|Nagamaki, koshirae, from tsuka to tip, tang, tsuka, cutting edge thumb|upright=0.2|Nagamaki koshirae, 54 in. thumb|upright=0.2|Nagamaki hilt, 26.75 in. thumb|upright=0.2|Shinto nagamaki tang, 19.75 in.

thumb|300px| Weapons for capturing suspected criminals, from left to right: a tsukubō, a [[sodegarami, and a sasumata]] The is a polearm, a "man catcher", used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.

thumb|300px| Weapons for capturing suspected criminals: on the left tsukubō, in the middle sodegarami, and on the right [[sasumata]] The is a polearm that was used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.

The (push pole) was a polearm used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.

thumb|Kama-yari