* Image is for illustrative purposes only.NBTHK — Japan's Sword Appraisal and Grading System
日本美術刀剣保存協会（NBTHK）の鑑定・格付け制度
Founded in 1948 by Honma Junji and Sato Kanzan, this public interest foundation operates Japan's principal sword appraisal and certification system. Its current grading tiers—Hozon Token and Tokubetsu Hozon Token among them—serve as the benchmark for sword evaluation both in Japan and internationally.
Description
Background
After the 1876 sword-abolition edict (Haitorei) stripped Japanese swords of their practical role as weapons, they were increasingly reassessed as works of art and craftsmanship — even as fears grew that fine blades might be scattered overseas or damaged through careless handling. These concerns intensified after World War II, when the Occupation authorities confiscated large numbers of swords, making the establishment of a proper system for preserving and studying Japanese swords an urgent priority. Against this backdrop, Honma Junji (also known as Honma Kunzan) and Sato Kan'ichi (Sato Kanzan), the leading scholars of Shinto-period swords at the time, took the lead in founding an organization dedicated to the academic evaluation and preservation of swords as art.
Founding and the Start of the Appraisal System
The Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (NBTHK) was founded on February 24, 1948, with Honma Junji serving as its first chairman. That same year, on September 12, the organization began its first certification screenings for the "Kicho Token" (Valuable Sword) grade, and it soon expanded its academic research and preservation work alongside a growing appraisal business.
Evolution of the Grading System
The grading system began with the single tier of Kicho Token, followed by the addition of Tokubetsu Kicho Token (Especially Valuable Sword) in 1950, Juyo Token (Important Sword) in 1958, and the top tier, Tokubetsu Juyo Token (Especially Important Sword), in 1971. An intermediate grade, Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho Token, was added in 1973, completing a five-tier system. This system was abolished in May 1982, however, and replaced that September with the current four-tier system, which includes Hozon Token (Preservation Sword) and Tokubetsu Hozon Token (Especially Preservation Sword). The top Tokubetsu Juyo grade is reviewed only once every two years, and the number of swords, fittings, and mountings ever certified at this level remains extremely small.
Role in Today's Sword Market
Certificates issued by the NBTHK are among the most widely referenced standards worldwide for judging a sword's authenticity, period, and attribution. Because these grades directly affect market value and scholarly assessment, NBTHK appraisal results remain an indispensable reference for antique dealers, collectors, and researchers dealing in Japanese swords.
Characteristics of This Era
- Sword scholars concerned about the postwar dispersal of Japanese swords overseas following the Meiji-era sword-abolition edict led the founding of a preservation organization
- Founded February 24, 1948, with Honma Junji (Honma Kunzan) serving as its first chairman
- Certification screenings for the "Kicho Token" (Valuable Sword) grade began as early as September 12 of the founding year
- Tokubetsu Kicho Token was added in 1950, Juyo Token in 1958, and the top tier Tokubetsu Juyo Token in 1971
- The old five-tier system was abolished in 1982 and replaced by the current four-tier system, including Hozon Token and Tokubetsu Hozon Token
- The top Tokubetsu Juyo grade is reviewed only once every two years, and certifications at this level remain extremely rare across swords, mountings, and fittings combined
- NBTHK certificates remain one of the primary standards for judging authenticity and value in the domestic and international sword market today