Hi there. I'm 16 years old, from Manchester, England, and I'm in LOVE with the naginata. I find it very elegant and skillful, and would love to learn naginata fighting styles/techniques. However, because I'm 16 using a real naginata, or even a training naginata would be looked upon badly by my family (they always brought me up that fighting was not the answer and things). However, I would do ANYTHING to be able to learn some skills with the naginata.
I am not stupid. I know that such a skillful weapon will take years of practise and dedication. So please could you help me find an alternative way of learning, or suggest how I can progress with my ambition to learn the naginata.
Thankyou
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I've always liked the naginata too.

It is a weapon you absolutely have to get a teacher for. I have seen some few Japanese pictures of kumite with practice naginata. And as far as finding a real one I imagine you'll need a very fat wallet. I believe a true naginata is pretty much the equivalent of a katana, for quality, but probably ten times as rare.

I'd just start on the net and look every place you can think of for a teacher. Good luck.

Yes I can understand that it's necessary to find a teacher, but a major disadvantage of living in the UK is I'm unaware of many organisations and stuff that would teach things.
Another thing is the style I would want to learn, which would be Kenjutsu (have I spelt it right?), which would be the art of using the weapon to kill rather than show off/defend. Kenjutsu was the 'training course' given to Samurai on how to use their weapons in battle, and as a result of it's violent nature is very rarely taught.
Although any training involving the naginata would be a dream come true.
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Accept it or not, the only way you are going to learn the naginata is from a teacher.

GB has lots and lots of MA schools and you're going to have to find one that teaches naginata. Look at it this way, if you lack even have the patience and determination to find a teacher, how would you ever last the years it takes to learn it?

And, if you ever get the chance, go to the library and find the book called "The Tokaido Road". It's is by Lucia St Clair Robson. It is a story about the 47 Samuari and a young woman, in feudal Japan, who is an expert with the naginata.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custome...155&s=books


PS: I don't think I'm stupid either. But I finally decided to quit telling people that. It made it a lot easier to live the stupid things I do - now and then.

for your diary - keep checking back and contact these people to find an instructor/school.

http://www.naginata.org.uk/

My top tip for the day is to check the internet - im sure you would find what you want.

the way the non-insured classes are set out is a bit like fight club lol. first rule of naginata club is. . .

Just to clear things up for you a bit, "kenjutsu" is more of a generic term for sword arts not just any weapon. Kenjutsu would be kind of like the umbrella term for the various styles of sword arts similar to karate being an umbrella term for various arts like Goju, Shotokan, Shito and so on. You are correct that kenjutsu, true kenjutsu that is, is not full of flashy moves. What you are looking for is naginata-do or naginatajutsu and there are a few schools out there. Finding a school that teaches naginatajutsu or kenjutsu isn't as difficult as finding a koryu art teaching it near you is.

If you really want to learn to use a naginata but don't have a school near you i suggest you take up aikido and pay attention during jojutsu. That training will help translate over when you’re old enough to commute or move closer to a school teaching what you want.

http://www.naginata.org/naginata.html

There are some ryu that will cover kenjutsu as well as naginatajutsu but looking specifically for kenjutsu isn't going to help you too much.

Here is some good reading if your really interested in the naginata.
http://koryu.com/library/wwj1.html

Here are some koryu involving what you are looking for from what i can tell.
http://koryu.com/guide/naginata.html

Ok, thanks for all the links guys and I will continue my search. In the meantime if anyone finds anything which could help me relating the manchester area please post.
Thanks
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Hey Laf...
The "East Coast Naginata Association" handling schools from "New York to Florida" has two schools... one in New York, and one in Virginia... which is easily 600 miles from Florida... Maybe they need to advertise "Serving schools on the East Coast of the U.S."

Just an observation...

OK?