Spear of Kagi-yari. Japan. Edo period. 1781-1876

Spear of Kagi-yari. Japan, Shinshinto (Newest Era) period, 1781-1876 (also called the Late Edo period). The classic yari consists of a shaft (ebu or nagae) to which a tip (ho) is attached. The shaft is 1.8-2.5 m long, in cross section, as a rule, round or multifaceted (rather than oval), made of oak or, more rarely, bamboo. The tips were 15-90 cm long and were xiphoid in shape, fastened with a shank (nakago). They allowed to inflict stabbing and chopping blows. Thanks to these tips, yari can be classified as glaives. Sometimes a metal hadome crosspiece was made 30 cm below the tip. Tsuba was common. For more reliable fastening, the end of the shaft was supplied with a fastening sleeve (habaki) and washers (seppa). At the lower end was an undercurrent (ishizuki) that could be used to strike. The upper part of the shaft was varnished and wrapped with a cord (sen-dan-maki). Kagi-yari is a spear with a hook fixed at the base of the tip pointing forward to capture enemy weapons. Length - 205 cm.