Serving Foreign Collectors: Everything the Nihonto Industry Needs to Implement for International Customers Right Now

Increasing Foreign Customers, an Industry Ill-Prepared to Respond

In the late 2020s, foreign collectors seeking Japanese swords are steadily increasing. Western enthusiasts of Japanese culture, affluent collectors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, practitioners of martial arts, and younger generations influenced by films and games—foreign buyers with diverse backgrounds are entering the market. Rising hammer prices for Japanese swords at international auction houses (Christie's, Bonhams, etc.) and surging access to Japanese-language content on overseas collector forums attest to this trend.

However, most Japanese sword dealers offer insufficient English support, cannot provide guidance on export procedures, and have not yet established international payment systems. This lack of preparedness leads to the loss of potential customers. As the yen remains weak over the long term, the price appeal of Japanese swords for foreign buyers continues to grow. The gap between dealers who can respond and those who cannot will only widen in the future.

Multilingual Product Descriptions—Standardizing English Notation

At minimum, English product descriptions are necessary. The information to be included is as follows.

• Distinction between signed and unsigned blades
• Blade type (tachi, uchigatana, wakizashi, tanto, etc.)
• Estimated period and school
• Dimensions such as blade length, curvature, width at base, and width at tip (with measurements in both cm and shaku)
• Condition (polish quality, presence of scratches or rust)
• Presence or absence of authentication certificate (NBTHK, NTHK, etc.)
• Presence or absence of registration certificate and number
• Presence and condition of the koshirae (fittings)

Machine translation is often insufficient, and using accurate English terminology for specialized terms is essential. Use hamon for blade pattern, jihada for steel structure, nie for granules, and nioi for smell—these terms are already established in the international market. However, simply translating "鑑定書" as "certificate" fails to convey the grade difference between NBTHK-preserved blades and specially important swords. Preparing supplementary materials that explain the meaning of each grade level in English will significantly improve the quality of inquiries.

Photo quality is also important. Foreign buyers often make purchase decisions before seeing the actual blade. Standardize at least these four types: full-length shot on white background, magnified view of the kissaki, oblique lighting shot revealing the jihada texture, and close-up of the signature. Standardizing these would be the minimum requirement.

Export Procedures: Delegation and Guidance System

For foreign collectors to bring Japanese swords back to their home countries, an export examination certificate from the Agency for Cultural Affairs is required (based on the Cultural Properties Protection Law). Registered works of art blades are not subject to the weapons export restrictions of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry or the Foreign Exchange Law. This procedure is complex and virtually impossible for foreigners to complete independently.

Specific steps to strengthen export capabilities are as follows.

Preparation of export application documents: Standardize export application documents for submission to the Agency for Cultural Affairs (export examination application form, photographs of the blade, copies of registration certificates, etc.) as a standard set and offer them as a proxy service. Since approval typically takes two to four weeks from application to receipt, creating schedule explanation materials that include this timeframe is essential.

Collaboration with customs brokers: Establish advance relationships with customs brokers handling international transportation, particularly those with experience exporting art objects and weapons. After export approval, actual transportation should use beauty-specific services from FedEx, UPS, or DHL, or specialized art logistics companies such as Nippon Express Art or Yamato International.

Standardization of shipping specifications: A wooden box specialized for Japanese swords, cushioning materials, and inclusion of the export permit are mandatory. Coordination of wooden boxes suited to blade length, inclusion of sword bags and polishing powder sets—these can be offered as ancillary services that enhance customer satisfaction as a collector.

Charging a fee for providing proxy services is a viable value-added business. Realistic proxy service fees range from approximately 30,000 to 80,000 yen, though dealers handling high-price-range blades can also differentiate themselves by incorporating this cost into the sales price.

International Settlement and Credit Management

Accepting credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) is a minimum requirement. For high-value items, card company limits may apply, so a system to smoothly guide international bank transfers (SWIFT/TT transfers) must be in place. PayPal carries high fees but is effective for small transactions and first-time dealings.

When dealing with foreign customers, it is essential to specify in the contract terms that products will not be shipped before payment confirmation, and that full payment or a substantial advance payment must be received before obtaining export permits. Preparing English Terms and Conditions that clearly outline return and cancellation policies will help prevent disputes.

Incidentally, accepting cryptocurrency payments appears in some cases, but due to exchange rate risks and legal gray areas, this is not recommended for ordinary commercial transactions.

Practical English Communication and Cultural Considerations

English responses to emails and inquiries from foreign customers are possible even for non-English speakers using AI tools such as ChatGPT to achieve a certain level of response quality. However, for content involving legal or contractual matters or price negotiations, nuances are critical, so native speaker review is recommended.

Cultural considerations are also important. Western collectors tend to engage actively in price negotiations, while collectors in Asia (particularly Taiwan and Hong Kong) prioritize detailed disclosure of photographs and provenance. Rather than applying uniform responses, building communication suited to the customer's background fosters long-term trust relationships.

Additionally, keeping a specialized English terminology guide on hand is useful. English notation for sword terminology varies within the industry, so it is recommended to consult official NBTHK English materials and international sword academic journals (such as Nihonto Newsletter) to maintain consistency. English-language posts on social media (Instagram, X) are also effective for both building customer trust and customer acquisition.

Inbound Customer Service as Investment—The Advantage of Starting Now

Preparing to serve foreign customers requires initial investment, but once the system is established, a customer base is gained that extends beyond the domestic market. With the yen remaining weak, now is the best opportunity to strengthen inbound customer service. Transaction records with renowned overseas collectors and museums directly impact reputation in the domestic market as well.

Establishing response capabilities while competitors are still few will lead to long-term differentiation. International dissemination of Japanese sword culture and business growth are aligned in the same direction. Positioning inbound customer service as a "strategic investment" rather than an "expense" and implementing it systematically is the management decision now required of sword dealers going forward.