The yari is the spear of the samurai and the most widely carried weapon in Japanese history: a straight, double-edged head mounted on a long hardwood shaft, the arm that decided the battlefields of the Warring States period. This hand-forged yari measures 74 inches overall, pairing a 12-inch straight, double-edged head of 352-layer Damascus steel with a long hardwood shaft. The head is forged, heat treated, and hand sharpened by master smiths, then seated deep into the shaft on a long tang in the traditional manner for genuine battle-ready construction. All Battling Blades orders ship from our own warehouse in Illinois, and custom engraving is completed in-house before your yari leaves our facility.
Specifications
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Overall length: 74 inches
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Head length: 12 inches, straight and double-edged (su-yari pattern)
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Head steel: 352-layer Damascus, progressively folded
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Shaft: Hardwood with reinforced collar and steel butt cap
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Construction: Long tang seated deep into the shaft, battle-ready
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Engraving: Optional, completed in-house at our Illinois workshop
The Damascus Steel Head
The head on this yari is forged from 352 layers of Damascus steel. Our smiths begin with 11 pieces of steel and fold the billet progressively, doubling and redoubling the layers until the finished head carries 352 alternating bands. On the yari's straight, symmetrical profile the flowing pattern runs up both faces to meet at the point, and because the pattern is born in the folding, no two yari heads are ever identical.
The head is forged to the su-yari pattern, straight and symmetrical with two hand-sharpened edges meeting at the point, then heat treated for the right balance of hardness and resilience. Each head passes our four quality control checkpoints before it is mounted and shipped.
History of the Yari
Spears are older than the samurai themselves; straight-headed hoko spears reached Japan from the Asian mainland centuries before the warrior class existed. But the yari as Japan knew it took shape in the 14th century, as warfare shifted away from the lone mounted archer toward armies that fought on foot. By the Sengoku period, the Warring States era of the 15th and 16th centuries, the yari had become the heart of Japanese warfare. Ashigaru foot soldiers marched in disciplined ranks of spears, samurai carried yari on foot and horseback, and when a daimyo counted his strength, he counted spears. More yari were forged than any other Japanese arm, including the sword, and period military records treat the spear, not the katana, as the true weapon of the battlefield.
The yari even shaped the Japanese language of honor. To be ichiban-yari, "first spear," the first warrior to reach the enemy line, was among the proudest distinctions a samurai could claim, recorded in battle reports and rewarded by lords. After the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, seven young warriors under Toyotomi Hideyoshi were celebrated as the Seven Spears of Shizugatake, a title that followed them for the rest of their careers and into every history of the era since. Careers, reputations, and family legends were built on the spear.
The yari also produced some of the most storied individual arms Japan ever forged: the Three Great Spears, Tonbogiri, Nihongo, and Otegine. Tonbogiri, the "dragonfly cutter," belonged to Honda Tadakatsu, the general said to have fought through more than fifty battles without a single wound. Legend holds that a dragonfly once landed on Tonbogiri's edge and was parted in two by the mere touch, and the name has echoed through Japanese storytelling ever since. Nihongo, prized by the Kuroda clan, carries its own legend: it was famously surrendered as the stake in a drinking contest, a tale still sung today in the folk song Kuroda-bushi. These were not anonymous tools; they were named, celebrated, and passed down like titles.
When the wars ended and the long peace of the Edo period settled in, the yari's role changed rather than vanished. Spears stood racked at castle gates as symbols of authority, and the great daimyo processions that crossed Edo-period Japan were led by bearers carrying tall ceremonial yari in lacquered sheaths, announcing their lord's rank to everyone who watched them pass. The spear that had won the battlefield became the emblem carried in front of the victors' descendants.
Unlike the curved naginata, the yari's head is straight and symmetrical, and its construction is distinctive: the tang runs extraordinarily deep into the shaft, often a third of the head's own length or more, which is why properly made yari are prized for the solidity of their mounting, and why cheaply made replicas fall so far short of the real form.
Anatomy of a Yari
A traditional yari is built from a handful of distinct components, each with its own name and purpose:
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Head (ho): The straight, double-edged blade, 12 inches on this model, forged and sharpened like a sword blade with a central ridge running to the point.
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Tang (nakago): The long extension of the head that seats deep into the shaft, proportionally longer than on any other Japanese arm, which is what gives a well-made yari its rigid, solid mounting.
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Collar (kuchigane and sendan-maki): The fittings and binding that reinforce the mouth of the shaft where the head enters, the most stressed point on the weapon.
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Shaft (ebu): The long hardwood pole, traditionally lacquered or polished, sometimes inlaid on presentation pieces.
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Butt cap (ishizuki): The steel fitting at the base of the shaft, which protects the wood and balances the profile.
Craftsmanship and Quality
Every Battling Blades yari is hand forged by master smiths through our direct workshop relationships, not mass produced. The head is forged, heat treated, and sharpened by hand in your choice of steel, then seated on its long tang deep into the hardwood shaft and secured with reinforced collar fittings. This is battle-ready construction: a real forged head with traditional deep-tang mounting, not a wall-hanger casting. Custom engraving and etching are completed at our own facility in Illinois, so personalized orders never leave our quality control chain before shipping.
The Spear of the Samurai Display
At 74 inches, the yari commands a wall the way it once commanded a battlefield, and it completes the classic Japanese polearm pairing beside a naginata: the straight spear and the curved blade, displayed together as they marched together. Add a katana and wakizashi below and the display spans the full arms of the samurai era. For collectors of Japanese arms, the yari is not an accessory piece; it is the missing centerpiece most collections never manage to find in battle-ready quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a yari?
A yari is the traditional Japanese spear: a straight, double-edged head mounted on a long hardwood shaft with an unusually long tang seated deep inside it. It was the most widely produced weapon in Japanese history, carried by both samurai and ashigaru foot soldiers, and it dominated the battlefields of the Sengoku period.
Is this yari battle-ready?
Yes. This yari features a hand-forged head with a long tang seated deep into the hardwood shaft and secured with reinforced collar fittings, the traditional construction that made the yari famous for its solid mounting. It is built to the same quality standard as our swords, with heat treatment and hand sharpening at every step.
How many layers does the Damascus head have?
The head is forged from 352 layers of Damascus steel. Our smiths start with 11 pieces of steel and fold the billet progressively until 352 alternating layers form the head, producing the flowing pattern that runs up both faces to the point.
How long is this yari?
This yari measures 74 inches overall, with a 12-inch head. Historical yari ranged enormously, from about 6 feet to pike-length nagae-yari of 15 feet or more carried by ashigaru formations; this piece sits in the classic samurai size range.
What's the difference between a yari and a naginata?
Both are Japanese polearms, but the yari carries a straight, symmetrical, double-edged head while the naginata mounts a long curved, single-edged blade. Historically the yari was the massed battlefield arm and the naginata the sweeping arm of warrior monks and samurai households. Collectors traditionally display the pair together.
What are the Three Great Spears of Japan?
Tonbogiri, Nihongo, and Otegine, three historically celebrated yari forged by master smiths and carried by famous warriors. Tonbogiri, the "dragonfly cutter" associated with the general Honda Tadakatsu, is the most legendary of the three and remains a touchstone of Japanese arms culture today.
Who used the yari historically?
Nearly everyone who took the field in medieval Japan. Ashigaru infantry carried yari in massed ranks, samurai used them on foot and horseback, and more yari were produced than any other Japanese weapon, including the sword. Period military records treat the spear as the true measure of an army's strength.
How do I care for the head?
Keep the steel lightly oiled and store the yari in a dry environment. Damascus is a high-carbon steel and not stainless, so a thin coat of mineral oil after handling prevents rust, and avoid abrasive polishes, which can dull the contrast between layers.
How quickly does it ship?
All Battling Blades orders ship from our own warehouse in Illinois, and most yari are in stock and ship promptly. If you add custom engraving, we complete it in-house, which adds minimal time to your order.
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