The Japanese yari, a straight headed spear, is believed to have developed from an earlier Chinese spear. The blade of the yari spear can differ in appearance and shape but most commonly would appear as a straight and flat dagger-like blade. The yari blade varies between only a few centimetres to almost a metre or more in length. The shaft of the yari can be extremely long, with variances between 1 to 6 or more metres in length. The blade of the yari often features a very long tang which, when inserted into the spear’s shaft, would reinforce the handle making it very different to break. Yari rose to great prominence in Japan after the Onin war as combat shifted to close combat on foot. Throughout their history, yari were used by both foot soldiers and samurai.