Naginatajutsu

Naginatajutsu is the Japanese martial art of using the naginata.
The Naginata is a a pole weapon with a curved blade on the end.
Not very practical in today's world as far as self defense goes, but still a great discipline and a very graceful martial art.
Of course since the weapon is so simple, there are several theories on how it originated.
Some of the theories are it was a modified farming tool, a Japanese modification of a Chinese Guan Dao or an inventive samurai needed a longer weapon, so he attached a sword to a pole.
The weapon was originally used against opponents on horseback, allowing the user to stay a safe distance from a mounted opponent.
Naginatajutsu is today most often practiced in the form of a sport called Naginata.
For more info you can go to the All Japan Naginata Federation here
http://www.naginata.jp/
Or if you can't read Japanese, you can go to the International Naginata Federation here
http://www.naginata.org/inf/inf.html