A kamayari (usually written as kama yari literally "sickle spear") is a medieval Japanese spear to which a single-edged, sickle-shaped blade is attached. The kama yari was likely used in a similar fashion as a hook. The sickle blade was usually large enough to hold the head, neck or jaw (when in a tree), or to hook limbs of a swordsman on the ground, as well as to dismount a horseman.