Switzerland
What Naginata is
A curved blade on a long shaft: reach, leverage and the possibility of attacking high and low in the same movement. Historically a weapon of the battlefields and later of the warrior households, in which it was wielded above all by women.
Modern and classical
In Switzerland it is predominantly Atarashii Naginata that is practised, the modern competitive form of the All Japan Naginata Federation — with armour, fixed targets and scoring.
The Koryū traditions of the weapon, Tendō-ryū and Jikishinkage-ryū Naginatajutsu, are, as far as is known today, not represented in Switzerland as independent groups. As a weapon within a complete system, Naginata is taught in this country in Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū.
Where training takes place
The club list is kept by the federation.