Nagamaki

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A nagamaki

The nagamaki (Japanese: 長巻, literally "long wrapping") is a Japanese weapon popular between the 12th and 14th centuries. Nagamaki are also known as nagamaki-naoshi.

[edit] History

Unlike the naginata, which can trace back its lineage to B.C. China, the nagamaki was developed in the middle of the Muromachi period. Today it is a rare collector’s item, and few martial arts teach its technique.

[edit] Manufacture

There are no solid rules governing the aspects of the make of the nagamaki. Unlike wakizashi, tanto, and katana, which have had history of strict measurements regarding the nagasa, and even the tsuka in some cases; the nagamaki varied in nagasa, nakago length (tang), kissaki style, et cetera. Bare nagamaki blades are of katana-length blades with typical katana-size tang (7–10 inches).^{[citation needed]} This kind presumably could have koshirae in a tachi or katana style, as well as a nagamaki style. However there are example of nagamaki with rather long nakago (tang), which could be fitted with a longer staff for a haft and effectively function as a naginata. All traditional Japanese swords are fitted preferably very snug and held in place with a mekugi (bamboo peg) which is fit through a mekugi-ana (hole in the tang and hilt). This is actually quite a strong mount when done correctly, and allowed for easy dismount of the bare blade. Katana most commonly had one single mekugi, and nagamaki commonly have been found with two or more mekugi. There are always variances in the mekugi. Having mekugi at all makes it legally a type of bladed samurai weapon in Japan. There are fishing tools used in Japan which would otherwise be like samurai weapons had it not been for the absence of a mekugi-type mount.

The length of blade varies on a nagamaki. However, the nagasa most commonly fits the profile of a tachi or katana blade, which would be a blade of more than 2 shaku (60.6 cm, roughly 2 feet) in length. The tsuka (hilt) seems to average at about 2.5 feet. Generally speaking, the tsuka of this weapon is a bit longer than the blade.^{[citation needed]} Perhaps equal to the saya (scabbard) in length. While nagamaki means "long wrap" they have been found with no ito (cord) at all, which is very much like a long tachi handle. The tsukamaki (hilt wrap) is of even more importance when applied to the tsuka of a nagamaki. The cord helps to strengthen tsuka quite a bit. Nagamaki found without hilt wrap usually had at least metal collars around the hilt where the tang is.

The Elvish swords appearing in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, known as Lhang, are thought to be loosely based on nagamaki.

Nagamaki is also a steak dish served in asian cuisine. When a strip of steak is flattened and wrapped and tied around onions, then cooked.