Nagoya Sword Museum Meehaku (Touken World Foundation)

The Nagoya Sword Museum (commonly known as Meehaku) is a privately operated museum specializing in swords. It is run by the Touken World Foundation and holds about 500 swords. The Touken World Foundation owns one of Japan's largest collections of Japanese swords and sword fittings. Meehaku, located in the central urban area of Nagoya, opened in 2024 as the foundation's flagship facility.

The museum's distinctive feature is its comprehensive exhibition approach. Through both permanent and special exhibitions, it presents Japanese sword culture as a whole, from the blade (the sword body) to the sword fittings (koshirae, tsuba, menuki, kozuka, and kōgai). The foundation's collection covers masterpieces from each era and school, from the Heian period to the Bakumatsu period (the end of the Edo period). High-quality works from ko-to, shinto, and shinshin-to are all represented.

The exhibition's greatest feature is its 'integrated display of swords and sword fittings.' Visitors can appreciate not only the blade but also the koshirae and the craftsmanship of each component at the same time. The lavish koshirae passed down to daimyo households of the Edo period, and the exquisite tsuba and menuki made by master craftsmen of the late Edo period, are highly valued works that stand as art in their own right.

The museum's urban location in Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, is also one of its strengths. It is easy to visit not only for sword enthusiasts but also for art and craft lovers and foreign visitors to Japan. The foundation also operates annex facilities in Marunouchi, Nagoya (Token Corporation headquarters) and in Tado-chō, Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, where it carries out exhibitions and educational activities. These make it an important privately led hub for promoting Japanese sword culture.