Photographer: Claudius Kamps | Rights management: Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalDetail view: Lace | Photographer: Claudius Kamps | Rights management: Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike 4.0 International
The yari (Japanese 鎗, also 槍 or 鑓) is a Japanese lance with a long nakago (tang). The length of the blade varies between 15 cm and more than 60 cm. The shaft was up to 240 cm long. Most larger yari were forged like nihonto from laminated steel and partially hardened. The shaft is usually lacquered, sometimes also the saya. As with swords, metal fittings and decorative inlays (mother-of-pearl, eggshell and ray skin) were also used. Alongside the long sword katana, the yari was considered the most effective weapon in close combat during battle, especially for the ashigaru (foot soldiers). It was also used by the samurai and had its greatest advantages, similar to the naginata, in combat against mounted and armoured opponents. The yari was only used in close combat and was not thrown (difference between lance and spear).
