Kama-yari



The kama-yari (鎌槍, sickle spear) is essentially is a yari with horizontal kama (blade) at the base of the vertical blade to assist in hooking things. Generally the hooks are large enough to hold the head, neck or jaw (when in a tree) or to hook limbs of a swordsman on the ground, thus it is different in function in this respect from other types of yari. Also the kama-yari was used to hook horsemen and dismount them.

Historically it also had a non-military use, where it was employed by Japanese firemen to pull down the roofs of burning buildings to slow a fire much the same way firemen of today would topple buildings to create a firebreak.