NBTHK Papers Explained: Hozon to Tokubetsu Juyo | TOUKENZA
NBTHK Papers Explained: Hozon to Tokubetsu Juyo
Last updated: 2026-06-06
Table of Contents
If you are about to buy a Japanese sword, the certificate that comes with it matters almost as much as the blade. The most widely respected authentication papers are issued by the NBTHK, and their grades — Hozon, Tokubetsu Hozon, Juyo, and Tokubetsu Juyo — appear in nearly every serious listing. This guide explains what the NBTHK is, what each tier means, how the examination (shinsa) actually works, how to read the certificate in your hand, and how older papers are treated in today's market. Every factual point links the NBTHK's own pages so you can verify it yourself before you commit.
What Is the NBTHK
The NBTHK is the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (日本美術刀剣保存協会), the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords. It is a public interest incorporated foundation (公益財団法人) established on 24 February 1948, and it runs both the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo and the appraisal system that collectors rely on worldwide. Its purpose is to preserve Japanese swords as cultural art objects, and one part of that work is examining swords and issuing papers that record the result.
The crucial distinction for a buyer is that the NBTHK is a private foundation, not a government body. Its papers are an expert authentication, not a legal permit. The legal document that lets a sword be owned and moved inside Japan is the torokusho (登録証), the registration card issued by a prefectural board of education under the Firearms and Swords Control Law. The two are completely separate: the torokusho makes the sword lawful to hold in Japan, while NBTHK papers tell you what the sword is and how good it is. You can read more about the NBTHK and its museum on our NBTHK page.
The Four Certification Tiers
The current NBTHK system, in place since 1982, recognises swords at four ascending levels. Each higher tier is a stricter examination and a rarer outcome.
Tier
Japanese
Meaning
Hozon
保存刀剣
Worthy of preservation — genuine and properly attributed
Tokubetsu Hozon
特別保存刀剣
Especially worthy of preservation — superior quality or condition
Juyo
重要刀剣
Important — of notable artistic and historical value
Tokubetsu Juyo
特別重要刀剣
Especially important — of the very highest rank
A Hozon paper confirms the essential things a buyer needs: the blade is a genuine traditionally made Japanese sword, it is in a state worth preserving, and the attribution — the smith named on a signed blade, or the appraised maker on an unsigned one — is sound. This is the practical floor of authentication, and a large share of quality collectible swords sit here.
A Tokubetsu Hozon paper says the same blade clears a higher bar: better workmanship, better condition, a stronger or more interesting attribution, or greater historical significance. It is the level most serious collectors aim for, and it is also the gateway to the two top grades.
Juyo Token is a different order of recognition. These are swords judged to be of genuine artistic and historical importance, examined far less frequently and passed in far smaller numbers. Tokubetsu Juyo Token is the apex, reserved for blades of the very highest rank; commonly cited figures put the number of swords ever designated at well over a thousand (1,143 as of 2021), spread across more than fifty years of biennial sessions, so a Tokubetsu Juyo blade remains a rare object by any measure. Both top tiers are submitted only from swords that already hold the grade below.
How Shinsa Works
Shinsa (審査) is the NBTHK's examination process. According to the NBTHK's examination flow page, the owner — or an agent acting for the owner — applies in advance, then submits the sword either in person or by mail during a set receiving period, and later collects it together with the result. A sword cannot be submitted on its own: the application must include the blade's original torokusho (登録証原本), and any previous NBTHK paper if the sword already passed at a lower grade.
The tiers are examined on different schedules. The same flow page states that Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon shinsa are each held four times a year (年に各4回実施), Juyo once a year (年に1度実施), and Tokubetsu Juyo once every two years (2年に1度実施). There is also a strict progression rule: a sword may be submitted for Juyo only after it has passed Tokubetsu Hozon (申請は、特別保存審査に合格したものに限る), and Tokubetsu Juyo only after Juyo. You cannot skip straight to the top.
Fees exist for every level and are substantial at the higher grades. The NBTHK's published fee schedule lists, for swords, roughly ¥41,250 for Hozon, ¥55,550 for Tokubetsu Hozon, ¥369,600 for Juyo, and ¥541,200 for Tokubetsu Juyo at the non-member rate. Treat these as current published figures that are periodically revised, and check the page for the rate that applies. If a result is held over (保留), the fee is waived, but a sword that simply does not pass still incurs a reduced charge — so the cost is largely payable whether or not the sword succeeds.
How to Read a Certificate
An NBTHK paper is a single document that records the examination, and the key fields are easy to find once you know what they are. The top of the paper states the designation — Hozon Token, Tokubetsu Hozon Token, and so on — which tells you the grade. Below that the paper describes the blade: its type, its length, and the attribution, which is where the signature matters. A signed blade is recorded with its inscription (銘); an unsigned blade (無銘) is given an appraised maker through the NBTHK's judgement, so a certificate may read, for example, "mumei, attributed to" a particular smith or school. The paper also carries the date of the shinsa session and the NBTHK's official seal, which together fix when and by whom the appraisal was made.
For the two top tiers the documentation goes further. As the NBTHK's appraisal and research page explains, for swords that pass the Juyo and Tokubetsu Juyo examinations the society compiles an illustrated catalogue, the zufu (図譜): "重要・特別重要等審査の合格物件については図譜を作成し、資料として整備しています。" Being published in the zufu, with its detailed description and image of the blade, is part of what makes these designations so weighty, because the record is permanent and public.
Papers and Price
Papers and value move together, but not in a straight line. A higher tier generally means a more valuable sword, and the grade is one of the first things the market looks at — which is why authentication and price are so closely linked, as our price guide sets out by type and grade. The relationship is directional, not absolute, though: a Hozon blade by a great smith in fine condition can easily outvalue a Juyo blade by a lesser maker. The grade is evidence of quality, not a fixed price tag, so read it alongside the smith, the condition, and the whole description rather than on its own.
Papers also do practical work beyond Japan. In some jurisdictions a genuine, traditionally made nihonto is treated differently from a mass-produced replica, and authentication is the supporting evidence that a blade is the real thing. Under the UK's traditional-manufacture defence, for instance, NBTHK papers are not a licence and the law does not name them as proof, but they are exactly the kind of evidence a collector relies on — see our UK sword law guide for how that works, and our sword laws by country hub for other jurisdictions. When you buy from Japan, the papers normally travel with the sword; the how to buy from Japan guide walks through that process.
Old Papers and a Buyer's Caution
The four tiers above are the current system, which the NBTHK adopted in 1982. Before that the society ran an older recognition (認定) scheme rather than today's appraisal (鑑定) one, with grades such as Kicho Token (貴重刀剣), Tokubetsu Kicho Token (特別貴重刀剣), and Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho Token (甲種特別貴重刀剣). According to the NBTHK's own appraisal page, these were abolished in 1982 (昭和57年5月に廃止し) and replaced by the present Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon system. The change moved the institution to a stricter, more rigorous standard of examination.
For a buyer the practical upshot is simple. These older papers — the best known are the green-paper kicho certificates, sometimes referred to by their colour — are treated with caution in today's market, because they predate the current standards. Resubmitting such a sword to a modern shinsa is common practice, and a fresh Hozon or Tokubetsu Hozon paper is what most buyers want to see. None of this means an old-paper sword is fake; it simply means the modern paper is the one the market trusts, so a sword carrying only a pre-1982 certificate is worth examining more carefully or having re-papered.
Finally, the NBTHK is not the only appraisal body. The NTHK (Nihon Token Hozon Kai, 日本刀剣保存会) is a separate, long-established organisation that issues its own papers using its own grades and is well regarded in its own right. The two are independent bodies with different documents, so when comparing swords, check which organisation issued the paper and read its grade on that body's terms rather than assuming the names map directly onto each other.
FAQ
What is the difference between Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon?
Both confirm a genuine, properly attributed traditionally made Japanese sword. A Hozon paper is the practical floor of authentication; a Tokubetsu Hozon paper says the same blade clears a higher bar — better workmanship, condition, attribution, or historical significance. Tokubetsu Hozon is also the level a sword must hold before it can be submitted for Juyo.
Are NBTHK papers required to own a sword?
No. NBTHK papers are an expert authentication, not a legal document. The document that makes a sword lawful to own and move within Japan is the torokusho (登録証) registration card issued by a prefectural board of education. Papers tell you what the sword is and how good it is; they are market authentication, not a permit to own.
Can a sword without papers be genuine?
Yes. Plenty of genuine swords have never been submitted for shinsa, and a blade can be entirely authentic without any NBTHK paper. Papers make a sword far easier to value, resell, and insure, so an unpapered sword simply asks more of the buyer's own judgement or an expert's; it is not evidence of a fake on its own.
What are green papers?
Green papers (緑紙) are the best-known of the older NBTHK kicho (貴重刀剣) recognition certificates issued before the current system. The NBTHK abolished that older scheme in 1982 and replaced it with the present Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon appraisal. Pre-1982 papers are treated with caution in today's market, and resubmitting such a sword to a modern shinsa is common practice.
Is NBTHK the same as NTHK?
No. They are separate organisations. The NBTHK (日本美術刀剣保存協会) and the NTHK (日本刀剣保存会) are independent, long-established bodies that each issue their own papers using their own grades. When comparing swords, check which organisation issued the certificate and read its grade on that body's terms rather than assuming the names correspond.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the relevant authorities or a qualified professional.
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