Naginata (薙刀) is a Japanese pole weapon traditionally used by members of the samurai class. It consists of a 2m long wooden staff with a curved blade on the end. Although originally a battlefield weapon predominantly used by men, during the Edo period the art became associated with samurai women who took up the art as a method of defence and self-development. In modern day Japan, Naginata is still predominately practiced by women, however outside of Japan the art is practiced equally by both men and women.

In the modern form of Naginata, two types of naginata are used: either a naginata featuring a replaceable bamboo blade on the end of an oak staff, used for regular paractice and sparring, or a naginata carved from a single piece of oak, used for advanced choreographed forms (kata). When sparring, practitioners wear protective armour called bogu (防具). It is very similar to the armour worn by practitioners of Kendo but with the addition of shin protectors (sune) and a three-fingered protective glove (kote).