Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 2.djvu/183

 ployed this weapon, hut from the twelfth century, when the Minamoto and the Taira clans began their long struggle, the nagi-nata found much favour among military men, its combined powers of cutting and thrusting being fully recognised. History has established the truth that the effective use of the point in sword-play is an evidence of advanced skill and superior civilisation. The Japanese bore witness to the fact by their fondness for the nagi-nata. Yet it never competed seriously with the single-edged katana, and it ultimately became the weapon of women and priests only. That, however, was not an unimportant role, for the priesthood wielded at one time great military power, and the wife or daughter of a samurai was always expected to prove her courage and martial capacity at any crisis in the career of her husband or father. In her hands the nagi-nata often accomplished signal deeds, and even in the present day there are few more graceful or interesting spectacles to be seen in Japan than the manipulation of this formidable weapon by a highly trained female fencer.

Not much need be said about the bushi's armour. Speaking broadly, it may be described as plate armour, but the essential difference between it and the Norman type was that whereas the latter took its shape from the costume of the period, the former bore no resemblance, and never was designated to bear any resemblance, to ordinary garments. Hence the only changes that