"Samurai using Nagae-Yari" Topic

Is there any indication that foot Samurai ever used the extra long spear or was this strictly an Ashigaru weapon?

I've never come across an mention of Samurai using the Nagae-Yari.

I doubt the Samurai used the nagae-yari. In the novel Taiko
from Eiji Yoshikawa there is a battle description that the good trained Samurai were capable of personal fencing with shorter lances. The nagae yari was a weapon better useable for formations of a whole unit therefore it was a perfect weapon for complete Ashigaru units.

Thanks for the input. That confirms what I thought.

In the later Sengoku Period fighting on horseback declined and more samurai fought on foot, or rode to battle to dismount and fight on foot. More ashigaru became missile troops with teppo. More samurai taking up the role of ashigaru as pike-wielding infantry.

In Rekishi Gonzou Archive Special Issue Volume 6, Reenactors representing Sanada Yukimura's foot samurai are shown using the nagae-yari alongside other samurai with shorter yari. In battle formation samurai with shorter yari fight in the front ranks. The second rank wield the nagae-yari over the heads of the front rank in support, the longer nagae-yari reaching the enemy alongside the shorter yari. This is how they fought other pike-wielding enemy infantry.

Against cavalry, the Sanada samurai are shown using ashigaru tactics. The front rank kneeling with the nagae-yari aimed at the horses. The second rank in support are standing up with their nagae-yari over the heads of the first rank.

A mounted officer commanding these foot samurai is shown also armed with what looks like a cross-bladed nagae-yari on horseback.

Was the Nagae Yari used as a bashing or thrusting weapon?

It's a thrusting weapon, a pike. It has a slightly different blade than a contemporary European pike, but you get an large amount of penetrating force with a spear or pike thrust compared to a weak bludgeoning/cutting force if you tried to bash or slash with it.

Against attacking mounted troops the nagae-yari was a thrusting weapon to impale horse. Cross-bladed nagae-yari were used to pull riders off their horses.

Against infantry, ashigaru were trained to bash their opponents on the head. The shaft used like a club, rather than the blade.

There is a youtube video from a samurai film showing samurai leading an attack with ashigaru armed with nagae-yari. Upon encountering the enemy both sides form their ashigaru in battle formation and slowly advance on each other. Both sides swinging their nagae-yari up and down, up and down, as they advance on each other. The samurai like cheerleaders, urging them forward.

The battle is short, as one side is bashed down and overrun.

The scene is exactly what is illustrated in RK books on the tactics for nagae-yari armed ashigaru.

Found it!

YouTube link

Note that ashigaru and samurai are fighting together with the nagae-yari.

Cool, so it's used more like a polearm than a pike against other spear-armed infantry?

The tactics for ashigaru with the nagae-yari take into account what poorly trained, part-time footsoldiers can do on the battlefield. The key was teamwork, with everyone moving as one. The nagae-yari also kept the enemy at a distance.

Against horseman, the ashigaru knelt on one knee and was trained to look down to the ground. This kept them from breaking at the sight of charging horsemen. Their yari's spearhead touching the ground, hiding them from the approaching horsemen.

Only on command from their squad leader, would the men raise their pikes, with the intention of having the enemy horsemen impale themselves. Once the pikes are raised, no one was to act on their own. Keep the enemy horsemen at a distance with a wall of spears.

A formation of ashigaru could have different lengths of nagae-yari. The front rank had the shortest and the rearmost row had the longest. When two or three rows of ashigaru levelled their spears at the enemy, they presented an almost 'even' wall of spearheads.

Only on command from their squad leader would the men thrust at an enemy horseman. It appears it was the front rank that did the killing, with the supporting row behind providing a shield. A tactic for a group of part-time soldiers with basic training to defeat a formidable samurai horseman.

Against enemy infantry, where each man had to face an opponent, the nagae-yari was used like a club. The key was to get your pikes higher and over your opponents' pikes. The other key was for every man to strike as one. In the video one side managed to get a 'rhythm' going, while the losing side lost cohesion and broke.