The amazing state of Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. Unique customs, clothing, art … And edged weapons too - their own, special and very, in the opinion of a European, strange.
Naginata - "mowing sword"
Take the naginata at least. Previously, this word was translated as "long sword". But there is another translation - "mowing sword". It is difficult to classify the naginata as a specific type of cold steel. Is it really a sword? But then why does he have such a long handle, 3-4 times longer than the curved blade? Perhaps this is still a sword, but only attached to a handle 2.5 meters long or more.
It would seem that this weapon is not complicated, but it is not easy to master it. Those who watched the training battle of the warriors armed with naginata testify: their movements in moments are like a dance. Hands move along a long shaft faster than lightning, strikes are applied at one angle or at another. Fighters then bounce off each other, then approach with a sharp jump, constantly changing the direction of attack. In this case, not only a razor-sharp blade is used, but also the end part of the handle, an iron butt pad.
Naginata appeared in Japan 1300 years ago. It was the weapon of the samurai, that is, a special, higher caste of the military. Each samurai was obliged to study the art of using the naginata, a special complex technique of fencing. In battle, a warrior armed with a naginata, this gigantic razor, sowed death around himself, rushing around the enemy like a whirlwind. He could only be stopped by a dense formation of pikemen armed with long pikes, or, when guns had already appeared, a well-aimed bullet.
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Bisento and nagamaki
The handle of the naginata in cross-section is not round, like the shaft of a spear, but oval, which is of great importance. The oval handle is more comfortable, easier to hold, and the position of the blade is better felt.
This is how the Japanese epic describes the battle of the legendary Musashibo Benkei, who was a virtuoso master of the naginata: “He cut right through and backhand. He chopped to the right, left and around him, and not a single person could approach him to grab him face to face. Benkei rushed about in mad rage, striking in all directions.
Back in the Middle Ages, a variety of naginata called bisento was created in Japan. This is a special, heavy naginata designed for wide, sweeping blows. And woe to the one who in battle experienced the smashing blows of bisento, his sharply sharpened blade weighing several kilograms!
Nagamaki, a weapon that looks more like a sword, can also be considered a relative of the naginata. Its blade and handle are almost the same length, about a meter each. It was believed that fighting with nagamaki is more difficult and more difficult than with naginata. The nagamaki blade was made of expensive high-quality steel, and this weapon was available only to wealthy warriors. It exists in Japan to this day and, probably, will not disappear soon.
The art of naginatajutsu
The martial art of wielding naginata in Japanese is called naginatajutsu. It may seem strange, but this art was owned not only by men, but also by many women. The Japanese women were sure that the mistress of the house might need the naginata to protect him in the absence of her husband, who was fighting somewhere in distant lands. And there were examples in history when courageous Japanese women with a naginata in their hands fought back a whole gang of robbers, or even fought on a par with their fathers and husbands.
Naginatajutsu has long been a national sport. There are many schools in Japan where they teach him. Of course, athletes and sportswomen (and women make up the majority) do not fight with a military weapon, but with an almost safe one, with bamboo blades, inflicting only sliding blows on each other. In this case, athletes are protected by special armor.
Naginatajutsu tournaments are being organized. This unusual sport has received recognition in other countries. They are already doing it in Europe, America, Australia.
Famous katana
The sword in medieval Japan was not just a weapon, but the soul of a warrior, a symbol of his dignity and valor. This is exactly what the famous military ruler of Japan, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, said very well. In his will, he instructed his descendants: "Everyone who has the right to carry a long sword must remember that his sword should be considered as his soul, that he will be separated from him only when he leaves his life."
And so it actually happened. From childhood until his death, the sword was with the samurai. He was placed at the cradle of a newborn. A five-year-old kid already carried a sword, however, a wooden one, which very early changed to a steel one, a real one. The sword was placed next to the body of a samurai who died in battle. Then it was kept in the family as a sacred relic and passed on from generation to generation.
The Japanese learned how to make wonderful swords one and a half thousand years ago, and no one could surpass them in this art.
What did the main samurai sword, the famous katana (which means "worn behind the belt") look like? The blade, slightly curved and pointed only on one side, had a length of 60-75 centimeters. With a width of 30 millimeters at the handle, it gradually tapering towards the point to the thickness of a human hair. The handle is rather long, for two hands, it was usually made of wood and wrapped in shark skin. At the base of the handle was attached a tsuba (as the guard is called in Japanese), a bronze, silver or even gold plate - round, oval or in the shape of a flower, which covered and protected the warrior's hand in battle.
It was believed that a real samurai should have at least ten swords, differing from each other in the design of the scabbard and handle. For various reasons - a court holiday, hunting, war - one or another sword was chosen to wear.
Fencing kendo
The katana was worn behind a cloth belt, obi. If the sword was on the left side, it meant that its owner was in a fighting mood, "went on the warpath." To demonstrate his peacefulness, the samurai placed a katana on his right side. It was more difficult to draw the sword back then. With this, the warrior seemed to emphasize that he was not going to snatch him.
But at the same time with a long sword, the samurai wore a second, shorter, wakizashi. It was an auxiliary sword in case of a surprise attack, when it would be necessary to act instantly, without wasting precious time on retrieving the long sword, as well as for fighting in tight spaces.
The year 1595 is a very important year in the history of Japan. At last, the internecine wars ended. Kendo - fencing with samurai swords - has become a way of improving the spirit. The appearance of swords has also changed. Weaponsmiths began to pay more attention to their decoration. Images of dragons, various deities and coats of arms appeared on the blades. This used gold and silver. But the tsuba was especially decorated.
The sword had to be handled with great respect, and its wearing was subject to many rules, conventions, and rituals. Not knowing them was considered the height of ignorance, and breaking some of them could cost a head.
National treasure
Not a single samurai would dare to take out the sword without asking permission from those present. When he came to visit, he handed his sword to the servant, who, with a bow, took it with a special handkerchief and laid it on a special stand with the blade up. When visiting a close friend, wakizashi also starred. The guest put this sword under his right hand and always with the hilt towards him. To put it differently meant to offend the owner of the house. A samurai's honor could be seriously hurt if someone casually touched his sword. It could even end in a duel. However, the owner of the sword was pleased if the interlocutor asked permission to admire his blade. To show the curious the sword, it was supposed to take it out of its sheath only halfway. And gradually, slowly, so that everyone can appreciate the ideal state of the blade, shiny like a mirror, and the sharpness of its blade. To prevent the blade from rustingtouching it was allowed only through a transparent fabric.
The samurai estate was abolished about 150 years ago. Another era has come. Cold weapons could not compete with firearms. Sword production began to decline. The katanas made today are sold as souvenirs for tourists. Real old samurai swords are very expensive. In addition, it is prohibited to export them outside of Japan as a national treasure.
Magazine: Secrets of the 20th century №12. Author: Gennady Chernenko