New Arrivals — Browse our catalog for the latest authentic Japanese sword arrivals. Browse →
What to do when you inherit or own a Japanese sword
You inherited a Japanese sword, or one turned up in a family storehouse — the first thing to check is whether it has a registration certificate (torokusho). Whether or not the certificate exists completely changes the procedure you need to follow. The three questions below show you what to do right now.
This is general guidance only. For individual cases, please confirm with the police, the Board of Education that registered the sword, and a professional.
Do you have the firearms-and-swords registration certificate (torokusho)?
A postcard-sized certificate usually kept together with the sword.
The registration card is a legally required document to possess a sword in Japan (issued by the prefectural board of education). An appraisal paper (e.g. NBTHK) is an optional quality assessment and does not replace the registration card.
Note: schematic for explanation only. It differs from the actual format of a registration card or appraisal paper.
Source: Agency for Cultural Affairs, prefectural boards of education, NBTHK
Each situation is explained in detail in its own guide.
When a Japanese sword turns up in an estate or inheritance, the first thing to check is whether a registration certificate (torokusho) is present. This guide explains the correct steps for both cases under Japan's Firearms and Swords Control Law.
When a Japanese sword turns up during estate cleanup, can you simply have the cleanup company dispose of it? We explain the correct steps — which differ by whether a registration certificate is present — under Japan's Firearms and Swords Control Law and the Secondhand Articles Dealer Act.
The correct procedure when you find an unregistered Japanese sword with no registration certificate. First file a discovery report at the nearest police station, then undergo registration screening by the prefectural Board of Education — following this order is essential.
The torokusho (firearms and swords registration certificate) is not a personal license but a document attached to the sword itself. Issued by the prefectural Board of Education, it has no expiry or renewal, and must accompany the sword when it is transferred, entrusted, or shipped.
When you take over a registered sword by inheritance, purchase, loan, or custody, you must file a Notification of Change of Owner promptly (within 20 days). Note that it goes to the prefectural Board of Education at the place of registration (the issuer).
If the registration certificate is lost, stolen, or destroyed, report it to the issuing (registering) prefectural Board of Education and obtain a reissue. The registration itself does not lapse, so it can be restored — but the certificate is required to carry, transport, or sell the sword.
Can a rusted or poor-condition Japanese sword still sell, and should you have it polished? We explain why do-it-yourself rust removal or polishing destroys value, the role of the professional togishi (polisher), and how to think about the cost and time of polishing, based on NBTHK and other guidance.
Assuming a sword with a registration certificate (one you can lawfully possess), we lay out the options: keeping, selling, consignment, or first learning its value. We explain the criteria for each and how to make use of professional advice.
The difference between outright purchase and consignment when parting with a Japanese sword, the pros and cons of each, and how to choose a trustworthy sword dealer under the Secondhand Articles Dealer Act.
The basics of tax when selling an inherited Japanese sword, based on National Tax Agency guidance: capital gains (aggregate taxation), the 300,000-yen threshold, short- vs long-term holding, the 500,000-yen special deduction, inheriting the decedent's acquisition cost and date, and whether a return is required. Confirm your specific filing with a tax accountant.
The basics of the inheritance-tax valuation of an inherited Japanese sword, based on National Tax Agency guidance: individual valuation as an art/antique object, sale-example and expert-opinion values, the basic deduction and whether a return is required, and the acquisition-cost add-on when later sold. Confirm specific valuation and filing with a tax accountant.
The basics of taking or exporting a Japanese sword overseas: carrying and returning the registration certificate, the Agency for Cultural Affairs' export examination certificate that customs may require, and the export ban on National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Individual cases require prior confirmation.
Ownership-change notifications and certificate reissues go to the prefecture that registered the sword (the one that issued the certificate) — not the one where you live. Here are the official guides for each prefecture (in some prefectures this duty has moved from the Board of Education to the governor's office).
Please contact the prefectural Board of Education of the registering prefecture printed on your certificate. The office is each prefecture's Board of Education (cultural-property division).
Offices, fees, and forms may change. Please confirm the latest information on the official page before starting any procedure.
If you have questions about whether a certificate exists or about the procedures, please feel free to contact us.
This page provides general information and is not legal advice. For individual procedures and decisions, please confirm with your nearest police station, the prefectural Board of Education that registered the sword, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, or a professional. Laws and procedures are subject to change.