Polearm .....

is there any martial art that train in using spear and halberd ? I heard of Yari and Naginata quite interesting ......

 

Both Yari-jutsu and Naginata-jutsu are Japanese martial arts based on the use of polearms.

Do a search here at MAP on the Naginata - Myself and others have posted a fair amount of information over time on this weapon. There were one or two members here that actively trained in it.

You can also look here:

http://www.naginata.org/naginata.html

Additionally there are probably people out there who train in RMA or western martial arts that use a spear or a halbred. You posted in the correct forum - there are many people here with a good knowledge of such things.

One last note - There are the use of such arms in CMA's... but I'll leave that for others to post more on in detail.

 

The correct term for the art of the yari (Spear) is Sojutsu.

There are a few koryu in Europe and in Australia that teach such weapons.

 

Is there any Sojutsu in Canada , cause I have harder time finding them than Naginata . So I either will go for Yari or Naginata .

 

Thanks for the correction Gunyo.

Ming - see... just as I told you there are some members here at MAP that have spent a very good chunk of their lives studying and practicing these kinds of traditions.

As well you can Google much of this to get a cursory understanding of these kinds of arts as well as a fair bit of the weapons history.

 

Well Naginata isn't so hard to search but Yari is somehow more rare than Naginata .

 

That is why you need to improve our Google skills and get thee to a quality library or order some books.

The Central Library that is in Causeway Bay (Right next to Victoria Park and Tin Hau) has several books that will go into the history of Japanese weapons and their techniques. They have an online stack search as well - so you can search from home.
One of the better books on the martial traditions of fuedal Japan is:

Title: Secrets of the Samurai - The Martial Arts of Feudal Japan
Author: Oscar Ratti & Adele Westbrook
ISBN #: 0-8048-1684-0

But... you have to wait until I return it!

 

You won't find any budo schools that teach Sojutsu in Canada. If you do, there's a possibility that it is of spurious origin and the techniques might be deamed up (i.e. combatively inane and unworkable when tested) The closest substitute would be either Jukendo, which is Japanese bayonet fighting, or Shinto Muso-ryu jodo.

Jukendo is a form of Japanese bayonet fighting that originates from two sources; Japanese sojutsu and 19th century French bayonet technique. It is a competative budo where training is conducted in armour similar to that of kendo, with the exception of a guard for the upper arm & shoulder. The training weapon is a wooden weapon with a padded tip called a Mokuju (which means literally, wooden gun/rifle).

With Jukendo, might also learn an auxilliary art called Tankendo, which is the use of a short sword or a bayonet without the rifle and is usually done against an opponent with the same weapon. Thrusts cuts & trapping with the free hand are allowed in competition rules.

Shinto Muso-ryu jo is primarily a staff art, using a 4'2" polearm called a jo. The techniques used in Shinto Muso-ryu are very versatile and use techniques from kenjutsu, naginatajutsu and sojutsu. Basic training is done in both solo and paired fashion, so that you get used to the dynamics of the weapon. The opponent always uses a sword, so at the same time as learning a staff art, you are learning the basics of sword arts too.

Hope this helps.

 

Yikes Slip, that book has so many inaccuracies that it's not funny. The Dreager, Skoss & Lowry books are better for reference.

More information on Jukendo & Tankendo

Naginata ryuha

Sojutsu ryuha

 

Is there any reason why I might be getting it tomorrow - ie for Chrimbo?

 

We use Naginata and Yari in the Bujinkan, not as often as other things though.

 

So for Naginata , Can I still use the same Armor that I did for Kendo ?

 

Yes, but you'll need sune ate and special kote.

 

I got that book for christmas, lol. What kind of inaccuracies does it have?

It's an interesting read so far, but i'll take it with a pinch of salt

 

For those interersted in Europe; there are allso manuals for polearms from this continent; both spear, 2h. warhammer, staff and helebard.

 

So the Armor have slight differences between Kendo and Naginata ?

 

Hmmm.. that's a bummer at first thought.

I always rated what Westbrook and Ratti wrote as relatively credible. Not only in that book but for articles in Journal of Asian Martial Arts as well.

In a nutshell can you point out what you feel the inaccuracies are?