A Great Glaive from the Fourteenth Century
The Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School), in Japanese 大薙刀〈無銘伝法城寺〉 (Ōnaginata Mumei Den Hōjōji), is a long-bladed polearm of the Nanbokucho period (14th century), recorded as held by the Chiba Prefectural Central Museum in Chuo-ku, Chiba City, and designated an Important Cultural Property on 27 June 1959. Chiba Prefecture owns it, and the blade itself is kept at the museum's Otaki Castle Branch in Otaki Town.
The blade is 80.6 cm long with a curvature of 3.8 cm. It carries no signature, but it is thought to be the work of a swordsmith of the Hojoji school. The phrase Den Hojoji in its name means "attributed to Hojoji"; it is not the name of a temple, although the Japanese word ji usually means one.
The Hojoji Smiths and the Naginata
The Hojoji school worked from Tajima Province, now Asago City in Hyogo Prefecture, and one of its smiths, Hojoji Kunimitsu, was famous for naginata.
A naginata is a curved blade mounted on a long pole, and an onaginata is one with an especially long blade. Chiba Prefecture notes that great naginata of this period are rare anywhere in Japan, and names two others with national designation: one at Iino Hachimangu Shrine in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, and one at Henmyoin Temple in Okayama Prefecture.
A Tang Left as It Was Made
The nakago, or tang, is the part of the blade that sits inside the handle. Later owners very often cut tangs down to shorten a blade to suit themselves. This one is an ubu-nakago, left in its original shape and length, and Chiba Prefecture values it as unusual and as clear evidence of how the blade looked when it was forged.
Chiba Prefecture and Chiba City both describe the Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School) as one of the finest of the great naginata that appeared from the Kamakura period onward.
Visiting
The Otaki Castle Branch, where the Large Naginata is kept, has been closed for renovation since 27 December 2021, and its buildings cannot be entered. The grounds are open and some exhibitions are held in the neighbouring training hall, but whether the naginata will be shown has to be checked with the museum.
The branch stands on the site of the main enclosure of Otaki Castle, at 481 Otaki, Otaki Town. Requests to consult or study its collections are handled by email or telephone; telephone enquiries go to the Chiba Prefectural Central Museum (043-265-3111).
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Q&A
- Can I see the Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School)?
- The Otaki Castle Branch, where it is kept, has been closed for renovation since December 2021. Check the branch's website or the Central Museum for any display.
- What does Den Hojoji mean in the Large Naginata's name?
- It means the blade is attributed to a smith of the Hojoji school, though it is unsigned. Hojoji is the name of a school of swordsmiths from Tajima Province, not a temple.
- How old is the Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School)?
- It is thought to have been made in the Nanbokucho period, in the 14th century.
- How big is the Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School)?
- The blade is 80.6 cm long with a curvature of 3.8 cm.
- Why is the Large Naginata an Important Cultural Property?
- Great naginata of its period are rare, and its tang survives in its original form, recording how the blade was made. It was designated on 27 June 1959.
Basic Information
| Name | Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School) (大薙刀〈無銘伝法城寺〉) |
|---|---|
| Location | 955-2 Aoba-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City (Chiba Prefectural Central Museum); kept at the Otaki Castle Branch, 481 Otaki, Otaki Town, Isumi District |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (craft) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1959/6/27 (Showa 34) |
| Quantity | 1 blade |
| Dimensions | Blade length 80.6 cm, curvature 3.8 cm |
| Owner | Chiba Prefecture |
| Public Access | Otaki Castle Branch closed since 27 December 2021 (grounds only) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: Large Naginata (Unsigned; Attributed to the Hojoji School)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/6622
- Chiba Prefecture: Large Naginata (unsigned, attributed to Hojoji)
- https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/kyouiku/bunkazai/bunkazai/n141-010.html
- Chiba City: Large Naginata, unsigned, attributed to Hojoji
- https://www.city.chiba.jp/kyoiku/shogaigakushu/bunkazai/oonaginata.html
- Chiba Prefectural Central Museum: Otaki Castle Branch
- https://www.chiba-muse.or.jp/NATURAL/sonan/
Last verified: 2026.09.26