* Image is for illustrative purposes only.The Heisei and Reiwa Sword Boom
平成・令和の刀剣ブーム
In the Heisei and Reiwa eras, the Japanese sword experienced an unprecedented rediscovery boom through fusion with popular culture. Games, manga, and anime have created a new generation of enthusiasts, bringing fresh vitality to traditional collector culture—a transformation unfolding in real time.
Description
Undercurrents of Sword Culture in the Heisei Period
After the high-growth era of the Shōwa period and the bubble economy, the Japanese sword market entered a period of price adjustment in the early 1990s, when the Heisei period began, as it felt the aftershocks of the bubble's collapse. At the same time, however, it was also an era in which the activities of the NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai), organized after the war, had taken root, and in which the accumulated results of the appraisal system, preservation techniques, and research began to bear fruit in earnest. Sword exhibitions at museums became more extensive, and as media such as NHK broadcast special programs on Japanese swords, opportunities for ordinary citizens to encounter Japanese swords steadily increased.
The early-to-middle Heisei period (1990s–2000s) was also a time when the skills of contemporary swordsmiths improved markedly. Contemporary swordsmiths, having overcome the postwar crisis in the transmission of techniques, pursued their own forms of expression within the bounds of tradition, and master craftsmen were produced who were designated as Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasures). The works of master craftsmen active in the Shōwa period, such as Miyairi Akihira (Nagano), Sumitani Masamine (Ishikawa), and Gassan Sadaichi (Nara), are highly regarded as the pinnacle of contemporary swords.
Tōken Ranbu and Its Spread to Younger Generations
The most dramatic turning point in the history of sword culture in the Heisei and Reiwa periods was the explosive success of the browser game "Tōken Ranbu-ONLINE-", co-developed by DMM.com and Nitroplus in 2015. This game, which personifies famous historical swords as "tōken danshi", recorded unprecedented success, centered mainly on women in their 10s to 30s, and rapidly broadened interest in Japanese swords.
The social impact of "Tōken Ranbu" is immeasurable. Young people who learned the names of famous swords such as "Mikazuki Munechika", "Hizamaru", and "Tsurumaru Kuninaga" through the game flocked to museums and art galleries to see the actual blades. Young female collectors began appearing at sword fairs and study groups, and the makeup of the sword community, which had previously been centered on middle-aged and older men, changed dramatically.
Encounters Between Pop Culture and Tradition
Since "Tōken Ranbu", opportunities to depict Japanese swords attractively in anime, manga, films, and games have increased, and the international recognition of Japanese swords has risen dramatically. "Kimetsu no Yaiba" (2016–) spread Japanese swords worldwide as an important cultural symbol, and it also brought interest in Japanese swords to young generations in China, Southeast Asia, and the Western world of Europe and the Americas.
This wave of pop culture was, at first, viewed with concern by traditional sword communities, sometimes as an "increase in entry-level enthusiasts who do not understand the genuine article". In practice, however, a trend has emerged in which some young people who became interested in Japanese swords through pop culture go on to appreciate, study, and purchase genuine swords, and this is definitely contributing to the rejuvenation of the collector population and the broadening of its base.
Accelerating Digitalization and Internationalization
In the Reiwa era (2019–), digitalization of sword culture accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). With online museum exhibitions, overseas outreach by sword dealers through social media and websites, and the spread of online auctions, an environment is taking shape in which Japanese swords can be accessed from around the world without the constraints of physical location.
International demand is also steadily expanding. Centered on younger generations in China, Taiwan, the United States, and Europe, the number of collectors who seriously study Japanese swords is increasing, and the quality and quantity of sword information in English and Chinese are improving rapidly. Multilingual specialist sword websites function as infrastructure that directly supports this trend toward internationalization.
The Achievements of Contemporary Swordsmiths
Contemporary swordsmiths of the Reiwa era are tackling the difficult challenge of balancing the transmission of traditional techniques with the exploration of contemporary expression. Under the Agency for Cultural Affairs' sakutō shōnin (sword-making approval) system, contemporary swordsmiths craft each blade with meticulous care, with annual production limited (approved swordsmiths are limited to 24 blades a year).
An increasing number of swordsmiths use social media to reveal their production processes, and the workshops where swords are made have become widely known to society. This transparency and information sharing are raising interest in and trust in contemporary swordsmiths, leading to an increase in collectors of contemporary swords. Sword culture is now entering the greatest era of "democratization" in its history, and diverse enthusiasts, transcending gender, age, and nationality, are entering this world.
Characteristics of This Era
- Anime, games, and manga—led by 'Touken Ranbu' (2015)—dramatically expanded the base of interest in Japanese swords. The entry of younger and female participants has significantly rejuvenated and diversified the composition of the sword community.
- Under the contemporary sword smith (authorized smith) system, traditional techniques continue while receiving national protection. The Living National Treasure and Intangible Cultural Property designation systems publicly recognize the techniques of master smiths and support the training of younger generations.
- Acceleration of digitalization: High-resolution online exhibitions, information dissemination through social media, and the proliferation of online auctions have made it possible to access sword culture beyond physical constraints.
- Full-scale globalization: The increase of overseas collectors, particularly from English- and Chinese-speaking regions, and the emergence of multilingual sword specialty platforms are accelerating market internationalization.
- Enrichment of sword exhibitions in museums and art galleries: Regular sword special exhibitions are held at museums nationwide, including the Tokyo National Museum and Kyoto National Museum, steadily elevating public sword literacy.
- Democratization of collector culture: Collector culture, which was traditionally limited to specific wealthy individuals and specialists, is becoming increasingly accessible to a broader segment through the availability of diverse price points and learning resources.