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Buying & Verification ・ Beginner
A beginner quiz on the four NBTHK appraisal grades and why a 鑑定書 (appraisal certificate) can never replace the 登録証 (registration certificate) for legal possession.
The NBTHK 鑑定書 is a voluntary quality and authenticity evaluation. Legal permission to possess a sword comes from the 登録証 issued by the prefectural board of education — not from the 鑑定書. National Treasure and Important Cultural Property designations are handled by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (文化庁).
The four current NBTHK grades from lowest to highest are: Hozon (保存) → Tokubetsu Hozon (特別保存) → Jūyō (重要) → Tokubetsu Jūyō (特別重要). 'Kichō Tōken' (貴重刀剣) was a grade under the old system and no longer exists in the current system.
A 鑑定書 is a voluntary quality evaluation and cannot substitute for the 登録証, which is the legal basis for possession under the Firearms and Swords Control Law. Furthermore, when submitting a sword to NBTHK for appraisal, the original 登録証 must accompany it — confirming that the two documents serve entirely different purposes.
Tokubetsu Jūyō (特別重要) is NBTHK's highest grade, awarded to swords evaluated as exceptionally outstanding works of art. Government-designated Important Cultural Properties are designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs under a separate system. Receiving Tokubetsu Jūyō has no bearing on whether a 登録証 is present, and 鑑定書 are not criminal clearance certificates.
The 鑑定書 records quality evaluation data such as swordsmith attribution, historical period, and province or school. Owner information is not recorded in the 鑑定書. The five items (type, length, curvature, mekugi-ana, inscription) are what the 登録証 records. Purchase price and tax valuation are outside the scope of the 鑑定書.