Coordinating Nihonto Restoration: A Complete Guide to Polish, Scabbard Repair, and Metal Fittings Work — Costs and Process

What Swords Need Restoration—The Basics of Condition Checking

When acquiring a Japanese sword or revisiting one you've stored for years, how do you determine if restoration is needed? Start with a visual inspection you can perform yourself.

The main checkpoints are as follows:

• Blade chipping and damage: Check if edge chips and scratches—from fine notching to large gouges—can be addressed through polishing
• Rust: Surface-level rust can be removed with maintenance, but deep rust requires polishing
• Cloudiness and discoloration: Proper oiling may sometimes improve this, but polishing is often the best solution
• Hike: Fine scratches that tend to occur when previous polishing was rough or when polishing powder was overused
• Scabbard damage: Cracks, warping, chipped lacquer, and loose metal fittings
• Loose handle: If the mekugi is loose, the blade risks coming loose during handling, requiring immediate attention

The key is not to judge these symptoms in isolation. For example, ignoring a scabbard crack allows moisture to affect the blade, accelerating rust. Because conditions are interconnected, comprehensive diagnosis is essential. In any case, the final restoration plan must be evaluated by a craftsman or a sword dealer expert.

Types of Craftspeople and Their Roles

Japanese sword restoration is not handled by a single craftsman. Specialized craftspeople exist for each process, each requiring advanced skills and years of training.

Togishi (Polisher)

Handles blade polishing. Polishing involves multiple stages from removing rust and damage to bringing out the hamon: rough stone (arato) → middle stone (nakato) → finishing stone (shiageto) → wiping (nugui). In the final wiping stage, polishing powder and soft cloth bring out the hamon in sharp relief. Since polishing physically removes blade material, unnecessary polishing shortens the sword's lifespan. One must judge carefully whether it's truly needed.

Sayashi (Scabbard Maker)

Handles scabbard fabrication and repair. They split wood such as magnolia in half, carve the interior to fit the blade, and glue and shape it. Some craftspeople handle lacquering, polishing, and decoration in-house, while others may outsource the finishing to a lacquerer (nurishi). They may also undertake repairs of the entire koshirae (mounting).

Kinkoushi (Metal Worker)

Handles repair and creation of sword fittings such as tsuba, fuchikashira, and menuki. Repairing fittings on old mountings requires knowledge of materials (red copper, gold, silver, etc.) and forging and chasing techniques that general metalworkers cannot provide. Engaging a sword-specialized metal worker is essential.

Tukamakishi (Handle Wrapper)

Handles re-wrapping the handle cord (tsukaito). They are engaged when the cord is damaged or loose, or when you wish to change the material. In modern times, many sayashi also do this work.

Cost Estimate (As of 2026)

Restoration costs vary greatly depending on the sword's condition, size, and the craftsman's skill level. The following are rough guidelines.

Polishing is particularly expensive, and commissioning renowned master craftsmen often involves a wait of several years. Additionally, if the sword is designated as a National Treasure or Important Sword, notification to the Agency for Cultural Affairs may be required. This should be verified before restoration.

Attempting to save costs by hiring a less skilled craftsman is a mistake. Irreversible damage cases are common: loss of hamon from improper polishing, or blade damage from scabbard measurement errors.

Prioritizing Restoration Work

When budget is limited, where should you start? The criteria are: "Safety," "preservation risk," and "impact on appreciation and value," in that order.

Top Priority—Items with preservation risk

If deep rust is progressing, it will eventually corrode deep into the blade. A loose mekugi risks the blade coming loose during handling. If the scabbard is cracked with risk of blade exposure, immediate action is necessary.

Second Priority—Impact on appreciation and value

If the hamon appears cloudy or hike scratches are prominent, consider full or cosmetic polishing. Since this directly affects the sword's appraisal value, early action is rational if you plan to sell or have it appraised.

Lower Priority—Aesthetic issues only

Issues such as faded handle cord or small scabbard scratches that don't affect function or preservation can be lower priority.

However, always consult an expert before restoration. Attempting rust removal or polishing based on amateur judgment will worsen damage and significantly reduce value. Never use whetstones or commercial rust removers on the blade.

The Coordination Process—The Role of Sword Dealers

It's practically difficult for individual collectors to contact craftspeople directly. Togishi, sayashi, and kinkoushi are all by-appointment-only, and often hesitant to accept walk-in individual clients.

In such cases, sword dealers typically function as coordinators. The process goes as follows:

1. Bringing in and condition assessment: Bring your sword to a dealer for diagnosis
2. Drafting a restoration plan: The dealer outlines which craftsmen are needed for which parts and provides cost and timeline estimates
3. Placing orders with craftspeople: Submitting commissions to trusted togishi, sayashi, and kinkoushi, either sequentially or in parallel
4. Progress management: Monitoring each craftsman's progress and coordinating handoffs between stages
5. Completion and delivery: After all work is finished, the sword is returned to you through the dealer

A dealer fee (typically 10–20% of restoration costs) applies, but the benefit of having individual craftsman negotiation, schedule management, and quality control handled by a single party is substantial. For multi-stage restoration or comprehensive koshirae renewal, coordinating through a dealer is the practical choice.

Recently, more dealers also handle appraisal and brokerage for reselling or auctioning restored swords. It's important to choose a partner who can advise on restoration as an investment, including exit strategy.

Summary—Restoration is an investment in a sword's future

Restoring a Japanese sword is not merely "fixing" it. With proper polishing and conservation, a sword can survive another hundred years. As rust progresses, the hamon fades; as the scabbard decays, the blade is exposed and damaged. The longer restoration is delayed, the higher the cost, and irreversible damage may result.

As the custodian of an inherited sword, performing proper restoration and care is also a responsibility to transmit Japanese swords as cultural assets to future generations. Acquiring a sword in good condition from the start is an effective way to reduce future restoration burdens. TOUKENZA's online catalog handles swords that have been carefully assessed before listing. If you have questions, please contact us freely through our inquiry form. We want to continue protecting the history and value that each sword carries in the right hands.