It is said naginata have first been used in China in around 3 B.C. The first source it was mentioned in was the Kojiki (A Record of Ancient Matters, 712). Later, it is shown in the paintings of battlefield scenes made during the Tengyo no Ran (Tengyo Insurrection), in 936 A.D. The sword was used and improved during the Nara period (approx. 710-784 A.D.), and by the 11th century it was widely used in battles. 