The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀, lit. 'mowing sword') is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihontō). Naginata were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei (warrior monks). The naginata is the iconic weapon of the onna-musha, a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility. A common misconception is that the Naginata is a type of sword, rather than a polearm.
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Sōhei in the context of Battle of Uji (1221)
The third battle at the Uji River was the primary battle of the Jōkyū War in Japan. Bakufu forces led by Hōjō Yoshitoki, shikken (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate, sought to enter Kyoto and overthrow Emperor Go-Toba, using Uji and Seta as their gateways.
The Emperor's forces, alongside warrior monks from Mount Hiei, attempted to make a final stand at the bridge into Kyoto, defending it from the Shōgun's armies.