Column

How to Transport a Nihontō — Carrying Restrictions Under the Firearms and Swords Control Act, Sword Bags, and Shipping Considerations

This article organizes the key points on blade-carrying regulations, wrapping methods, and what to confirm with shipping carriers when transporting a nihontō within Japan.

Japanese Swords and Western Swords: Comparing Single-edged Blades, Curvature, Forging Methods, and Appreciation Culture

This article examines Japanese swords and Western swords across four axes: form, materials and forging, how they are worn, and appreciation culture.

Impersonation Fraud and Phishing Countermeasures in the Japanese Sword Industry — How Fake Shopping Sites and Fake SNS Accounts Operate and How to Spot Them

This article explains the typical methods used by fake shopping sites, fake SNS accounts, and phishing emails targeting nihontō as high-value art objects, along with the checkpoints to verify before making a purchase.

What Are Hoko? — The Difference from Yari, from Bronze Hoko to the Naginataboko of the Gion Festival

Hoko is a double-edged pole weapon fixed to the tsuka via a fukuroho, and is a precursor to yari and naginata. This article organizes the spellings of hoko, the difference from yari, and the history from Yayoi-era bronze hoko to the Naginataboko of the Gion Festival.

The Origins of "Gō" in Famous Swords — Naming Patterns and How to Read the Traditions, as Seen in Mikazuki, Onimaru, Heshikiri, and Yagen

How did the "gō" attached to famous swords such as Mikazuki Munechika, Onimaru Kunitsuna, Heshikiri Hasebe, and Yagen Tōshirō come about? This article explains the difference between gō and mei, and the naming patterns based on appearance, anecdotes, religious associations, and everyday objects.

A History of the Training System for Nihontō Craftsmen: From the Formation of the Apprenticeship System to Modern Disciple Cultivation and the Shortage of Successors

The training system for nihontō craftsmen began with the Edo-period apprenticeship system, was disrupted by the Sword Abolishment Edict (Haitōrei) and the prohibition on sword-making during the occupation, and eventually transformed into the postwar sword-making approval system. Tracing this historical evolution, this article examines the realities of modern disciple training and the structural background of the deepening shortage of successors.

How Did Forging Techniques Change Between kotō and shintō — The Shift from Individual Swordsmith Craft to a Standardized Production System and Its Economic Background

This article examines the differences in forging techniques between kotō and shintō, tracing the historical and economic context of the reorganization of iron distribution following national unification and the concentration of tōkō (swordsmiths) in castle towns.

A Guide to Installment Payments and Loans for Purchasing Nihontō — How to Plan Finances for an Expensive Sword

For purchasing nihontō, which span a wide price range from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of yen, this article organizes the commonly considered payment options — including credit card installments, bank loans, and buy-now-pay-later services — along with the key points to verify.

The Parkes Assassination Attempt (1868) and Swords — The Attack on the British Minister and the Swords of His Guards

The Kobe Incident (1868) and Nihontō — the Clash Between Bizen Domain Troops and Foreigners, the First Diplomatic Crisis of the New Meiji Government

A clash in newly opened Kobe between Bizen Domain troops and foreign residents. An account of the circumstances leading to Taki Zenzaburō's seppuku and the diplomatic ordeal that confronted the newly established Meiji government.

The Sakai Incident (1868) and Japanese Swords — The Seppuku Ordered of Tosa Domain Samurai and the Diplomatic Crisis

The Tenmaya Incident (1868) and the Sword — The Failed Night Attack on a Kishū Domain Samurai by Members of the Rikuentai and Kaientai