Import a Katana to France and Europe: Complete 2026 Guide | Tokyo Nihonto

A collector from Lyon contacted us last year after his nihonto shipment was held at Paris Charles de Gaulle customs for two weeks. The blade itself was perfectly legal to own. The problem was missing documentation. No Token Toroku-sho, no invoice matched to the declared value, and a carrier that had never shipped a sword before. Two weeks of stress, storage fees, and a very anxious collector, all completely avoidable. Here is exactly what you need to know before you import a katana to France or anywhere else in the EU.

Is It Legal to Import a Katana to France?

Yes. Owning an authentic antique nihonto in France is entirely legal. The confusion usually comes from not understanding how French law categorizes bladed weapons.

Under French law (décret n° 2013-700), any sword with a blade exceeding 22cm falls under the classification of arme blanche de 1ère catégorie. This sounds alarming to new collectors, but the practical implications are less dramatic than the label suggests. A nihonto classified this way is treated as a regulated collectible. You do not need a license, a permit, or any prior authorization to purchase or own one. The law allows civilian possession for collection and historical study without restriction on numbers.

Where the rules do apply is transport. When moving a nihonto, the blade must be carried in a closed, latched case (étui fermé) and must be stored out of reach of the driver, typically in the trunk. You cannot walk down a public street carrying an unsheathed blade or even a blade in a simple cloth bag. This applies to any bladed object of this category, and it is straightforward to comply with in practice.

The key distinction French collectors need to understand is that antique nihonto are not treated as dangerous weapons under French law. They are regulated collectibles with transport requirements. The legal framework was designed with exactly this type of item in mind: historic, culturally significant, and held by responsible collectors. As long as storage and transport rules are followed, ownership is unrestricted.

Customs Duties and VAT for Katana Imports to the EU

The tax situation for importing an authentic antique nihonto to the EU is genuinely favorable for collectors. The EU's Combined Nomenclature (CN) tariff code 9706 covers antiques more than 100 years old. Items classified under 9706 enter the EU at 0% import duty. Given that virtually every nihonto in our inventory dates from the Edo period (1603-1868) or earlier, this 0% rate applies to almost all pieces we sell.

Modern blades, including shinsakuto (newly made nihonto) or contemporary production katana, fall under different CN codes and attract a duty rate of approximately 2.7%. If you are buying a blade made after the early 20th century, verify the tariff classification before importing.

VAT is a separate matter and applies regardless of duty status. Each EU member state charges VAT at its own national rate on the declared customs value of the import. This is non-negotiable, and undervaluing your shipment to reduce VAT is customs fraud with serious consequences (covered in the mistakes section below).

To make this concrete: a nihonto purchased for approximately $8,700 USD (roughly EUR 8,000) imported to France as an antique under CN 9706 attracts EUR 0 in import duty and EUR 1,600 in VAT. That is your total tax cost. No surprises, no hidden charges, as long as documentation is correct and the value is declared accurately.

Documents Required to Import a Nihonto to France or the EU

This is where most import problems originate. The paperwork is not complicated, but every document matters.

Token Toroku-sho (刀剣登録証)

This is the single most important document for any nihonto shipment. The Token Toroku-sho is the official Japanese sword registration card, issued by the Board of Education of the relevant Japanese prefecture under the Firearms and Swords Control Law. Every legally owned nihonto in Japan must be registered, and this card travels with the blade.

When a nihonto is exported from Japan, the original Toroku-sho is submitted to the relevant prefecture to be cancelled, confirming the blade has officially left the Japanese registration system. Without this document, Japanese customs will not clear the export. EU customs, and particularly French customs officers who know what they are looking at, expect to see this paperwork as proof of legal origin. The Lyon collector mentioned at the top of this article was missing precisely this document. Two weeks in CDG customs storage followed.

NBTHK Certificate

An NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai) certificate is not a customs document. It will not speed your blade through customs, and it is not legally required for import. However, for any serious collector, it is indispensable for a different reason: it authenticates the blade, identifies the smith, period, and school, and establishes the blade's cultural and market value. The NBTHK hierarchy runs from HOZON (preserved) through TOKUBETSU HOZON, JUYO TOKEN, and the highest grade, TOKUBETSU JUYO TOKEN. A blade with JUYO TOKEN or above represents the top tier of collectible nihonto.

For customs valuation purposes, an NBTHK certificate also corroborates your declared value. A blade worth $15,000 USD with a JUYO TOKEN certificate is self-evidently worth that amount. A blade without any certification declared at the same value raises questions.

Dealer Invoice

A proper commercial invoice from the Japanese dealer, showing the buyer's name, the blade's description, the purchase price in JPY and the equivalent in EUR or USD, and the dealer's registered business address. This must match the customs declaration exactly.

METI Export Permit

Most nihonto do not require a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) export permit. However, blades that are registered as Juyo Bunkazai (Important Cultural Properties) or higher cannot be exported at all (see the section below on National Treasures). For standard nihonto, including NBTHK Juyo Token certified blades, the Toroku-sho cancellation process handled by the prefecture is sufficient. Your Japanese dealer should confirm whether any additional METI documentation applies to a specific piece.

Age Documentation for Antique Classification

To claim the 0% duty rate under CN 9706, you need to demonstrate the blade is over 100 years old. An NBTHK certificate stating the period of manufacture (e.g., Edo period, Shinto, Koto) combined with a dealer invoice making the same statement is typically accepted. For blades without NBTHK certification, a signed appraisal or authentication letter from the dealer may be required.

Step-by-Step: How to Import a Nihonto from Japan to France

1. Verify the Token Toroku-sho is present and matches the blade. Before any purchase is finalized, confirm the Japanese registration card exists for the specific blade you are buying. The registration number on the Toroku-sho should correspond to the blade's details. If a dealer cannot produce this document, do not proceed.
2. Your Japanese dealer handles the export process. A reputable dealer manages the Toroku-sho cancellation with the relevant prefecture, packs the blade for international transport according to carrier requirements, and prepares the Japanese customs export declaration. This typically takes 1 to 2 weeks in Japan before the blade ships.
3. Ship with a specialist carrier experienced in antique swords. General couriers such as standard DHL or FedEx consumer services are not equipped to handle nihonto correctly. Use a freight forwarder or specialist carrier that has experience with cultural property and bladed items. The blade should be professionally packed, typically in a custom wooden crate with the saya secured separately. Insurance at full declared value is non-negotiable.
4. Customs declaration at point of EU entry. When the shipment arrives in France (or whichever EU country is the first point of entry), French customs will process the declaration. The CN 9706 code should be declared for antique nihonto. All documents, including the cancelled Toroku-sho copy, the dealer invoice, and any NBTHK certificate, should be attached to the customs declaration or readily accessible via your freight forwarder.
5. Pay VAT before release. Customs will calculate the VAT due based on the declared customs value. In France, this is 20%. Payment is made to French customs (DGDDI) and the shipment is released once settled. Your freight forwarder or customs broker can handle this payment on your behalf and bill you.
6. Keep all documentation permanently. Store the original cancelled Toroku-sho, the NBTHK certificate, the dealer invoice, the import customs entry document, and the VAT payment receipt together with the blade. These documents travel with the blade for its entire life. If you ever sell the blade to another collector in France or elsewhere in the EU, this paperwork is what proves clean legal origin and significantly affects resale value.

Can Designated National Treasures or Cultural Properties Be Exported?

No. Blades designated as Kokuho (National Treasures) or Juyo Bunkazai (Important Cultural Properties) by the Japanese government cannot be exported under any circumstances. The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs prohibits the export of these items permanently. Any listing or offer claiming to sell a National Treasure nihonto for export should be treated as fraudulent.

This is a point of confusion for some collectors who see the word "Juyo" and assume it means the same as Juyo Bunkazai. It does not. NBTHK Juyo Token is a private certification issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai and has no connection to the Japanese government's cultural property designation system. NBTHK Juyo Token certified blades are privately registered and can be legally exported following the standard Toroku-sho cancellation process. We have exported multiple NBTHK Juyo Token blades to European collectors without issue.

EU Country-by-Country Overview

France

Covered in detail above. The key points: arme blanche de 1ère catégorie classification for blades over 22cm, possession legal without license, transport in closed case required, 0% duty for antiques over 100 years, 20% VAT on declared value.

Germany

Germany's weapons law (Waffengesetz) restricts blades over 12cm that are designed for use as attack weapons. However, antique swords are explicitly exempt from this restriction. A genuine nihonto over 100 years old, with documentation confirming its antique status, is legal to own in Germany as a collector's item. The transport rules in Germany are stricter than in France: carrying any blade in public requires a "legitimate reason" (berechtigtes Interesse), and this is interpreted narrowly. Collectors transporting to and from appraisals or storage present no issue. Casual transport requires care. VAT in Germany is 19%.

United Kingdom (Post-Brexit)

The UK is no longer part of the EU single market. Importing to the UK from Japan now requires a separate customs process independent of EU entry. The UK's import duty rate for antique swords is also 0% under the UK Global Tariff for items over 100 years old. UK VAT is 20%. The UK Offensive Weapons Act 2019 introduced restrictions on certain curved blades, but antique swords (pre-1954) are exempt. Always confirm current UK Border Force guidance before shipping, as UK regulations post-Brexit continue to evolve.

Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain

These countries are generally permissive for antique nihonto collectors. Each applies its own national VAT rate (Netherlands 21%, Belgium 21%, Italy 22%, Spain 21%) and accepts the 0% CN 9706 antique duty classification. Local possession laws for historic swords are not significantly restrictive in any of these countries. Collectors in these markets follow the same documentation requirements as those importing to France. The Toroku-sho, dealer invoice, and NBTHK certificate (where applicable) remain the core document set.

Mistakes That Get Katana Shipments Seized

Undervaluing for customs. Some collectors ask dealers to declare a lower value to reduce VAT. This is customs fraud. French customs (DGDDI) and Europol's customs cooperation teams are experienced at identifying undervalued cultural items. The consequences range from seizure and a full VAT audit to criminal charges. Declare the actual purchase price. The VAT cost is real but predictable, and it is far preferable to the alternative.

Missing Token Toroku-sho. If this document is not present or not correctly prepared, the shipment will be held. At CDG, this typically means a minimum of five to ten working days while the importer tries to obtain documentation from Japan retroactively. In some cases, the shipment is seized pending investigation into the blade's legal origin in Japan. This is the single most common and most preventable problem we see.

No commercial invoice matching the customs declaration. A buyer-seller message thread or a PayPal receipt is not a commercial invoice. EU customs requires a proper document with business details, a full description of the goods, quantities, and the declared value in a recognized currency. Any mismatch between the invoice and the customs declaration triggers manual review.

Using the wrong carrier. A general parcel courier without experience in cultural property and bladed items will often refuse the shipment at point of origin, pack it incorrectly if accepted, or fail to prepare the accompanying documentation correctly. Some major carriers have explicit prohibitions on shipping swords in their consumer terms of service. Use a specialist. The slightly higher shipping cost is trivial compared to a seized or damaged blade.

How Tokyo Nihonto Handles the Import for You

We source every blade directly from Japan. Our team is based in Tokyo, and we handle the entire Japanese export process in-house. When you purchase from us, the Toroku-sho cancellation is completed by us with the relevant prefecture. We prepare the full export documentation set, liaise with our specialist carrier, and provide you with a complete customs package before the blade ships.

Every antique nihonto in our inventory is over 100 years old. Every blade qualifies for the 0% import duty rate under CN 9706. We provide a detailed dealer invoice with the correct CN code recommendation, the NBTHK certificate where applicable (and we carry blades ranging from HOZON through TOKUBETSU JUYO TOKEN), and the cancelled Toroku-sho. Our EU customers receive everything they need to clear customs without delays.

For French importers specifically, we have direct experience with CDG customs requirements and can advise on the correct documentation presentation. We have shipped to collectors in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and the UK. The process works cleanly when it is handled correctly from the Japanese side, and that is exactly what we do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

• Importing a nihonto to France or the EU is legal and well-supported by existing customs and weapons law.
• Antique nihonto over 100 years old enter the EU at 0% import duty under CN tariff code 9706.
• VAT applies at the destination country rate: 20% in France, 19% in Germany, 21% in most other major EU markets.
• The Token Toroku-sho (刀剣登録証) is the most critical document. Missing it causes delays, seizures, and complications that are entirely preventable.
• In France, katana ownership for collection is legal without a license. Transport requires a closed case with the blade out of reach.
• NBTHK Juyo Token certified blades CAN be legally exported. Only government-designated National Treasures and Juyo Bunkazai are prohibited from export.
• Declare the accurate purchase value. Undervaluing is customs fraud with serious legal and financial consequences.
• Use a specialist carrier. General parcel couriers are not equipped for nihonto shipments and may refuse the consignment or pack it incorrectly.
• Keep all documentation permanently with the blade. It is part of the blade's provenance and directly affects future resale value.

Further reading on related topics:

• NBTHK Certificates Explained — What HOZON, Tokubetsu Hozon, Juyo Token, and Tokubetsu Juyo Token actually mean, and why they matter for buyers.
• How to Import a Katana to the USA — The US import process, ATF considerations, and documentation requirements for American collectors.
• Antique Nihonto vs Custom Commission — A direct comparison for collectors deciding between a historic blade and a newly made shinsakuto.