Japanese swords are more than tools of destruction and shapers of a land’s destiny. These are works of art, reflecting their maker’s profound spirituality and deep connections to an enduring philosophy. Buying a Japanese sword takes more than appreciating its cultural and historical value. It also requires a deep pocket that won’t bleed because of a 6- to 9-figure price tag.
Of course, one can always opt for cheap imitation Japanese swords – the kind we can get from a local novelty shop selling everything from faux samurai warrior uniforms to katana replicas.
Join us in exploring the monetary values of the most expensive Japanese swords in history, including the factors contributing to their hefty price tags and other expensive Japanese swords in contemporary times.
How Experts Determine a Samurai Sword’s Value
Determining a price tag for Samurai swords requires more than assigning random numbers. Only qualified and certified Japanese sword appraisers (kantei) can put numbers on price labels. Appraising authentic Japanese swords outside Japan is possible with the Japanese Sword Society of Canada. It empowers non-Japanese sword owners to verify the value of their swords before buying.
So, what do kantei assess in Japanese samurai swords to determine their correct (read, most appropriate, or reasonable) value? Read on.
Age and Historical Significance
A scene from the Heian Period by the Imperial Court in Tokyo on Wikimedia.
As a rule, the older the Japanese sword, the higher its value, provided other factors are constant. For example, a Muramasa cursed sword will be less valuable than an Amakuna Yasatsuna long-sword tachi. While both are some of Japan’s most famous swordsmiths, Yasatsuna laid the foundation for modern swordsmithing in Japan during the Heian Period (794-1185). Meanwhile, Muramasa’s creations have been instrumental during the bloody Muromachi and Sengoku Periods. Both have historical significance, although Yasatsuna’s blade would win because of historical rarity.
Kantei, or Samurai sword appraisers, evaluate a sword’s historical context. For example, does it belong to a popular Samurai clan? How about historical events or battles where the sword figured prominently? Such swords can command a premium.
Nearly anyone can fabricate a story. That’s why seasoned Kantei always seek verifiable documentation of sword ownership. For example, an Oda Nobunaga sword would be more valuable than a katana owned by an unknown vassal or samurai. After all, he is a Tokugawa and Toyotomi compatriot.
Swordsmith
Our article on the Top 15 Famous Japanese Swordsmiths should give you an idea of whose works would command a hefty price tag. For example, a Masamune Kamakura Period sword will always be more valuable than a 20th-century Toshihira Osumi creation.
But wait! The swordsmith’s signature (mei) on the tang (nakago) can increase the sword’s value. However, Kantei will verify such signatures to determine authenticity.
Sometimes, Japanese samurai blades don’t have their sword-maker’s signature. Instead, these swords feature the school of craftsmanship. Like everything else, some swordsmithing schools or traditions are more valuable than others. Examples of these traditions are Bizen, Soshu, and Yamato.
Blade Quality
This assessment parameter can be highly subjective. That’s why only authorized kantei can evaluate authentic Japanese katana, wakizashi, tachi, tanto, and other swords with impeccable objectivity. They look for an aesthetically pleasing and well-balanced shape, including the blade’s curvature (sori), length (different Japanese swords have standard lengths), and blade point (kissaki).
The sword’s differential tempering pattern is crucial because counterfeits often have acid-etched hamon. This artistic element might look the real deal to the untrained eye. That’s why kantei are needed for sword appraisal. They can evaluate the sword’s artistic elements. For instance, a choji or midare hamon can net the sword a higher value, provided all other attributes are spot-on.
Most novice buyers think a shiny sword is essential. However, the best Japanese swords must have the right polish to enhance the visibility of their hamon and the steel’s grain or hada. Over-polished or poorly polished swords don’t have that much value.
Sword Condition
Do you think a rusty sword will net a million dollars? How about an overly chipped or damaged blade? The Japanese sword’s physical condition is crucial to determine its value.
For instance, well-preserved swords with minimal signs of wear and tear, rust, or damage will bring immense value to such blades. Sword restorers play a crucial role in improving the value of severely damaged, rusty, or worn-out Japanese ancient swords to bring them as close to their original state as possible. A poor restoration job can reduce the sword’s value.
Quality of the Koshirae (Mountings)
While not all ancient Japanese swords still have their original fittings and mountings, like the scabbard (saya), hilt (tsuka), sword guard (tsuba), and grip ornaments (menuki), those that still have the koshirae must undergo closer scrutiny about the quality of such sword elements.
In general, Edo Period Japanese swords have very elaborate koshirae because swords during this time were celebrated as works of art. Some swordsmithing schools also flourished by focusing on a sword’s aesthetic qualities. For instance, Higo and Goto traditions are known for their artistically crafted koshirae.
Verifiable Authenticity
A NBTHK Juyo Token Certificate on Unique Japan.
We must reiterate “verifiable” because some “enterprising” individuals can easily forge a certificate of authenticity from the Nihon Token Hozon Kai (NTHK) or Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (NBTHK). They can copy an existing certificate, print it on a special paper, and age it to give the illusion of authentic ancient documentation.
Verifying the document’s details with NTHK or NBTHK is crucial. No records? The certificate is fake! Hence, one cannot expect to pay a high price for it.
Rarity
Japanese swords with unique features or produced using experimental swordsmithing techniques are more valuable than blades designed and produced without standout features. For instance, a sword made with the zuku-kitae or kogarasu-maru style is more valuable than blades smithed using conventional methods.
Some swordsmithing traditions and periods are often more valuable than others. For instance, Yamashiro, Bizen, Mino, Soshu, and Yamato are the top swordsmithing traditions in Japan. Their products are rare and of the highest quality, making their swords highly sought after.
Aesthetic and Cultural Value
You can forget owning a Japanese sword classified as a National Treasure because the Japanese government is very protective of its cultural heritage. Having said that, National Treasure-classified swords or blades that are important cultural properties can be worth millions of dollars, depending on other factors (condition, etc.)
The World’s All-Time Most Expensive Japanese Swords
Japanese sword appraisals are a serious business, requiring Kantei to be objective in their assessments. So, after learning different attributes that go into sword valuation, what is the most expensive Japanese sword?
Fukushima Masanori Tachi – $100 Million
The Fukushima Masanori Tachi.
The Fukushima Masanori is one of the world’s most exquisite swords, second only to the $900 million British Sword of Offering. This Tachi is legendary because its owner, Fukushima Masanori, was a celebrated samurai, daimyo, and retainer of one of Japan’s “Three Great Unifiers” Toyotomi Hideyoshi. One can expect this blade to have encountered countless battles during the closing stages of the Sengoku Period (1467-1615), making its $100 million value more than appropriate.
Because this Tachi is associated with a prominent Japanese historical figure (Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu), its cultural value would have been through the roof. It’s also understandable that Masanori preferred the longer tachi over the shorter katana. Slashing enemies from a mounted position would have been cumbersome with a katana.
Fukushima Masanori’s tachi would have been crafted by a master swordsmith or from a reputable school. Otherwise, protecting Toyotomi Hideyoshi would have been questionable if the tachi were constructed of substandard materials. Blade engravings, a distinct hamon, and an elaborate koshirae would have made the Fukushima Masanori Tachi a sight to behold.
Yamatorige (San-Cho-Mo) Tachi – $5 Million
The Yamatorige by avernii on Reddit.
Here’s a Japanese sword that’s not as expensive as the Fukushima Masanori Tachi, but still nets a whopping $5 million. That’s impressive for a Tachi created sometime in the 13th century during the mid-Kamakura Period. Hence, the Yamatorige Tachi played an important role in the rise of the Samurai, ushering in a new form of government and social structure. Gone is the imperial court. In its stead is the Shogunate.
The Yamatorige is a beautiful Tachi, with historians and sword appraisers claiming the San-cho-Mo’s swordsmith envisioned the lovely feathers of the yamadori or Soemmerring’s pheasant. Its super fine craftsmanship have earned the respect of sword experts and cultural savants in the 1950s, elevating its complete set of koshirae as a National Treasure.
Although the nakago was unsigned, historians confirmed the Yamatorige was created by the Ichimonji school. This swordsmithing tradition is recognized for its intricate and highly artistic blade patterns. Some of Japan’s greatest swordsmiths (i.e., Norimune, Yoshifusa, and Muneyoshi) came from this school. Unsurprisingly, the Yamatorige was a favorite of Useugi Kagekatsu, the head of the Uesugi clan after Usesugi Kenshin’s death. He supported Toyotomi Hideyoshi and, while he initially opposed Tokoguwa Ieyasu’s shogunate, Kagkatsu became a supporter, albeit an outsider. Yamatorige’s historical connections make it an invaluable Japanese sword.
Yamanbagiri Kunihiro – $2.03 Million
The Yamaubagiri Kunihiro sword on Japanese Sword Legends.
The Yamanbagiri Kunihiro was a historically and culturally valuable sword valued at over $2 million. It represents a period in Japan’s history when samurai were clashing against each other, forwarding the interests of their lords during the Sengoku Period (1467-1615). This $2 million Japanese sword is the product of one of Japan’s most celebrated swordsmiths – Horikawa Kunihiro – recognized by many as the first and greates of the “Sinto-era” swordsmiths. The best part is Kunihiro was also a samurai, so he knows what blades are perfect on the battlefield.
Lord Nagao Akinaga commissioned Kunihiro to replicate the sword of the legendary Chogi swordsmith, with a thick kasane, shallow sori, and wide and powerful sugata. The hamon featured a blend of choji-midare and o-midare to create a beautiful temperline.
It’s worth noting that the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro laid the foundation for the Japanese samurai katana. Succeeding sworthsmiths study Kunihiro’s creations and refined his many techniques. Unsurprisingly, such contributions to the development of the Japanese sword deserve exceptionally high value from sword appraisers.
Okanehira Tachi – $1.83 Million
The Okanehira sword by the Association of Cultural Properties, Japan, on Wikimedia.
The Okanehira is another expensive Japanese sword that sold for a little less than $2 million. It was a tachi masterpiece by the Heian Period master swordsmith Kanekira. Hence, the Okanehira predates the Fukushima Masanori Tachi by more than 800 years, making this sword supposedly more valuable than the Masanori. Regardless, $1.83 million for an ancient sword is still significant.
Although the Okanehira Tachi was created sometime between the 8th and 12th century, its principal historical contribution stems from the sword’s utilization by Ikeda Terumasa. He was a trusted aid and general to one of Japan’s “Three Great Unifiers” Oda Nobunaga in the 16th century. This sword saw countless battles, including the Battle of Sekigahara, which cemented Tokugawa Ieyasu’s position as shogun and protector of Japan.
Even without the blood Sengoku Period, the Okanehira would still be a culturally important Japanese sword. After all, it reflects the transition of the sword from a mere tool of destruction to an art object. Although the Heian Period is unlike the Edo Period, Japanese swordsmithing took an evolutionary step during this time.
Kamakura Katana – $418K
A Late Kamakura katana on Unique Japan,
This ancient Japanese samurai katana might not have a 7-digit figure, but its creator is one of the best. The katana was part of a batch of 1,100 Japanese blades curated by the late Dr. Walter Ames Compton, a Japanese sword collector, and sold at an auction in 2013 for over $8 million. While there were other interesting Japanese blades in the lot, none generated more excitement and buzz than this Kamakura Period katana.
The Kamakura is culturally valuable because it’s one of six Goro Nyudo Masamune creations still in existence (make it 7 if people can recover the Honjo Masamune). Masamune is Japan’s greatest swordsmith, with the government and cultural organizations awarding the Masamune Prize to the nation’s best swordsmiths. That says a lot about the man.
The Kamakura katana played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history, from Miyamoto Musashi’s celebrated sword duel with Sasaki Kojiro to being owned by Tokugawa Ieyasu. These historical events elevate the Kamakura katana from a simple masterpiece by Japan’s greatest swordsmith to a tangible artifact of Japanese history.
Prices of Contemporary Japanese Swords
If ancient swords cost hundreds of thousands up to millions of dollars, are new Japanese swords expensive, too?
Swords Smithed Exclusively in Japan: The Nihonto
The Japanese are highly protective of their traditional ways, including swordsmithing. Hence, modern aspiring swordsmiths undergo many years of training and apprenticeship before they can get a certification exam. Pass the test and obtain a license, and a 21st-century swordsmith can create no more than two swords monthly. Hence, one can expect the sword prices to be as high as $100,000 (depending on the quality), but never lower than $5,000.
Swords Produced Outside Japan
Most of the Japanese swords we see on Amazon, eBay, or independent shops are not made in Japan. Many come from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, with varying levels of quality.
Traditional Craft Replicas
The only difference between a traditional craft sword replica and a nihonto is the swordsmith. Sword-makers can implement traditional swordsmithing techniques. However, since the swordsmith doesn’t need Japanese training and licensing, the sword’s prices are lower ($1,500 to $10,000).
Performance Replicas
These swords can feature different materials to lower production costs (i.e., alloy instead of tamahagone steel). They may be machine-produced, too, lowering their prices from $700 to $3,000.
Final Thoughts
Authentic Japanese swords are mighty expensive, costing anywhere between a few tens of thousands of dollars to a 9-digit figure. It makes sense. After all, these swords are steeped in history and culture, and such facets of life are priceless.