Learn About Japanese Swords

Our reference library for collectors — the schools and smiths we follow, in-depth buying and authentication guides, a collecting journal, and a working glossary of nihontō terminology.

• Buying a Sword 購入

  New to nihontō? What separates a genuine antique from a replica, what to expect to pay, and where a first-time buyer in the UK should start.

• Schools & Smiths 刀工

  Reference pages on the sword schools and smiths we follow — lineage, identifying characteristics, and what to look for in a genuine example.

• Guides 案内

  In-depth reference guides — buying WW2 Japanese swords, reading NBTHK papers, periodisation, and kantei attribution.

• Journal 記事

  Articles on collecting, identifying, and trading antique Japanese swords, from a dealer who has handled the pieces.

• Glossary 用語

  A working glossary of Japanese sword terminology — blade parts, hada and hamon, geometry, koshirae, and papers.