Samurai Sword Museum

Samurai Sword Museum, located in Onegata, Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture, is a privately run museum founded in July 1994 and opened to the public by swordsmith Yanagita Ritsuo (sword signature Fukutsu), who founded the Bijutsu Nihontou Tanren Kenma Yanagita Institute.

Permanent Exhibition

The museum permanently displays a selection of about 60 carefully chosen swords, including a large tachi weighing over 4 kg made by the museum director, swords that allow visitors to compare the characteristics of the Gokaden (the Five Traditions: Yamato, Bizen, Yamashiro, Sōshū and Mino), Heian-period tachi, Edo-period swords, local swords associated with Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures, and swords associated with the Shinsengumi.

Exhibits

In addition to swords, the museum exhibits armor, firearms, and foreign-made blades, allowing visitors to appreciate Japanese swords alongside a broader range of military equipment.

Access and Visitor Information

About 20 min walk from Kugeta Station on the Moka Railway, or about 20 min by car from the Moka Interchange on the Kita-Kanto Expressway. Open 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30). Closed Mondays (open on public holidays; also open the day after a holiday). Admission: 1,500 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for ages 75+, half price for visitors with disabilities, free for junior high school students and younger plus one accompanying caregiver.