Japanese Sword Culture as Experienced by Foreign Visitors — The Current State of Forge Tours, Iai Experience Programs, and Inbound Facilities, and the Challenges of Developing Them as Tourism Resources

Why Are Foreign Visitors Drawn to Japanese Swords?

In recent years, interest in Japanese swords among foreign visitors to Japan has clearly been rising. Several factors lie behind this trend.

• Familiarity with sword-wielding characters through anime, films, and video games
• Martial arts enthusiasts who have trained in iai and kenjutsu abroad coming to Japan
• Growing interest in Japanese craftsmanship in general

Surveys by the Japan Tourism Agency have also shown that foreign travelers are highly satisfied with experiential content, and sword culture is drawing attention as a potentially high-value experience resource that combines the three elements of craftsmanship, martial arts, and history.

Among martial arts enthusiasts in Europe and North America in particular, demand for deeper engagement is growing — not simply consuming Japanese swords as tourist souvenirs, but wanting to see a real forge in operation or to pick up and hold a live blade. Compared with other traditional Japanese crafts, swords carry a special presence that combines functional beauty, spirituality, and layered historical depth.

The Current State of Forge Tours

Opportunities to observe an active tōshō at work in a forge are limited even within Japan. The number of tōshō is not large to begin with, and only a fraction of them accept outside visitors.

Most tōshō who do accept visitors tend to prioritize "people with a serious interest in swords" over foreign tourists seeking a sightseeing experience. The operational costs on the host side are also high, including no-photography policies, time restrictions on visits, and the need for interpreters. Some tōkō have systematized tour programs in partnership with travel agencies and NPOs, and a model in which an English-speaking guide accompanies small groups is beginning to function.

The work of a kaji changes in process depending on the season and the condition of the steel, which makes it difficult to stage a tanren scene at a specific date and time. For this reason, advance reservations, small-group limits, and flexible scheduling have become the practical mode of operation. Initiatives such as those in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, which combine sword forge visits with regional tourism by leveraging the brand of a cutlery-producing area, are also emerging and attracting attention in the context of regional revitalization.

The Development of Iai and Kenjutsu Experiences

Dojo and organizations offering iai and kenjutsu programs for foreign visitors are increasing, centered on Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Most programs use imitation swords (replica blades) rather than live blades (real swords) for safety, though some facilities offer tameshigiri experience using sand-filled straw targets for advanced participants.

At experience dojo staffed with English-speaking instructors, programs are packaged as "samurai experiences" or "SAMURAI experiences," and one-to-three-hour sessions are typically offered for around 10,000 yen. Combining these with kimono and hakama dressing services further boosts their appeal as a visual experience.

Programs are also appearing that go beyond martial arts content to include classroom sessions covering basic knowledge of Japanese swords — part names, how to read the hamon, and differences in shape across historical periods — representing an evolution of content beyond simply "swinging a sword." Some forward-thinking dojo have adopted a system in which participants take home a "training card" recording their experience, using it as a means of cultivating repeat visitors.

Multilingual Support and Educational Programs at the Japanese Sword Museum

Multilingual support for foreign visitors is advancing at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo, history museums across the country, and shrine treasure houses that hold sword collections. The main efforts involve providing English audio guides, brochures, and explanatory panels. Some facilities have volunteer guides who can communicate in foreign languages and provide in-depth commentary on individual exhibits.

The challenge lies in conveying sword terminology — hamon (temper line), jigane (steel of the blade surface), nakago (tang), and so on — accurately and accessibly in foreign languages. Because word-for-word translation does not communicate the meaning, some facilities are experimenting with visual aids for supplementary explanation and hands-on exhibits allowing visitors to touch actual items. At the Japanese Sword Museum (Ryogoku, Tokyo), NBTHK appraisal sessions are held, and cases of foreign collectors attending are increasing. The need to strengthen support for English speakers is recognized as a challenge in this context of appraisal and collecting as well.

Challenges and Prospects for Tourism Development

Making Japanese sword experiences a sustainable tourism resource involves several structural challenges.

• Capacity on the side of craftspeople and dojo. Accepting visitors for tours and experiences can interfere with the primary work of a tōshō or dojo. Systematic programs with regular schedules and capped enrollment are needed rather than low-profitability one-off arrangements. Appropriately pricing experience fees and streamlining reservation management are essential to make it function as income for the host.
• Safety management and legal clarity. Experiences using live blades are subject to regulation under the Firearms and Swords Control Act (Jūtōhō). Even when using replica blades, ensuring participant safety and clarifying instructor qualifications and liability are necessary. Securing clear linguistic communication, particularly when foreign visitors are involved, is a critical safety requirement.
• Deepening content. Simply "swinging a sword for the sake of it" does not sustain satisfaction over time. Designing a "total Japanese sword experience" that integrates history, craftsmanship, and martial arts is the key to attracting repeat visitors and high-spending guests.

Interest in sword culture among foreign visitors to Japan is moving beyond mere souvenir consumption toward a desire for deep cultural understanding and authentic experiences. Building an experiential ecosystem that links forge tours, martial arts experiences, and museum education will be the next stage for Japanese sword inbound tourism.