The forerunner of the is thought to be the , a lance derived from the
qiang (Chinese spear). These are thought to be from the
Nara period (710–794). Another polearm, the
naginata (glaive), became important in the late Heian. The term appeared for the first time in written sources in 1334, but this type of spear did not become popular until the late 15th century. The original warfare of the was not a thing for commoners; it was a
ritualized combat usually between two warriors, who would challenge each other via
mounted archery. In the late Heian, battles on foot began to increase, and , a bladed polearm, became a main weapon along with the
yumi (Japanese longbow). The attempted
Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 provoked a shift in weaponry and in warfare. The Mongols employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielding long pikes and fought in tight formations. They moved in large units to stave off
cavalry. . Forged in 1967 by
Living National Treasure Masamine Sumitani and engraved with a
horimono by Sensyū Kokeguchi. Around the latter half of the 16th century, wielding pikes () with a length of became the main forces in armies. They formed lines with soldiers bearing and short spears. Pikemen formed a two- or three-row line and were trained to move their pikes in unison under command. Not only but also samurai fought on the battlefield, using the yari as one of their main weapons. For example,
Honda Tadakatsu was famous as a master of one of the
Three Great Spears of Japan, the . One of the Three Great Spears of Japan, the ) was treasured as a gift, and its ownership changed to
Emperor Ōgimachi, then the
Shoguns
Ashikaga Yoshiaki,
Oda Nobunaga,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
Fukushima Masanori, and so on, and has been handed down to the present day. In the
Edo period, the fell into disuse. Greater emphasis was placed on small-scale, close-quarters combat, so the convenience of swords led to their dominance, and polearms and archery lost their practical value. During the peaceful Edo, were still produced (sometimes by renowned swordsmiths), although they were primarily used as ceremonial or police weapons. ==Description==