The mission of the Naginata club is to provide instruction in the art of naginata as well as to set up a time and place for students of similar interest to gather and practice and learn from each other. At a deeper level the club helps promote a spirit of mutual learning and personal improvement through discipline and an emphasis on courtesy and respect in all dealings with fellow students and teachers. The naginata is a traditional Japanese polearm, about 7 feet in length. Today the study of naginata is pursued in two forms: practice of the kata and shiai naginata, or actual match combat. Kata involves choreographed sequences of strikes and blocks by which the full capabilities of the naginata are displayed. In shiai naginata combatants don armor and score against each other by correctly executing strikes such as those displayed in the kata.
Meetings: Sunday, 12:00 to 1:45, Cowling main gym
Contact: Kristen L. Asp, Kohei Shinkawa
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