刀Where to start
JB-1023 Tanto
Aikuchi Tantō in Plain Wood Mounts
A plain-mounted aikuchi-style tantō, unsigned and unexamined in the tang, with a tired polish — a straightforward entry-level piece.
If you're looking to buy a samurai sword or katana in the UK, the genuine article is more affordable than most people expect. A real Japanese sword beats a decorative replica in every way that matters, and for a first-time buyer the choice is wider than it looks: a wartime guntō, a tantō, or an older blade with a credible attribution.
A real blade vs. a wall-hanger replica
The “samurai swords” sold by general gift and weapon retailers for £100–£200 are modern reproductions: mono-steel or stainless blades, often with an etched line painted on to imitate a hamon. They were never made in Japan and have no historical or collectable value. For similar money, or a few hundred pounds more, you can own a genuine wartime Japanese sword: an officer's or NCO's guntō that was forged and carried in war. It is the difference between an ornament and a piece of history.
Where to start, and what it costs
- Under £1,000. Type 95 NCO swords, lower-grade guntō, tantō, and individual fittings. An accessible entry point. See our Type 95 & arsenal swords reference for what the marks mean.
- £1,500–£4,500. Entry-level antique work: later Shintō or Shinshintō blades, better wartime gendaitō including Mantetsu, and pieces with credible attribution. This is where most first purchases happen.
- Above £5,000. NBTHK-papered work and signed pieces from known smiths. This bracket expects papers.
For the full picture, read our WW2 Japanese sword buyer's guide and buying your first Japanese sword. What helps most is learning to read the arsenal stamps that separate a traditionally-made blade from a wartime shōwatō.
Entry-level swords for sale now
JB-1010 Gunto
Japanese Cavalry Sabre
Meiji-era Japanese cavalry sabre (kyū-guntō, serial 66729) — clean, complete pattern with original scabbard and fittings.
JB-1015 Gunto
Japanese Police Sabre
Meiji-era Japanese police sabre with its original black sword tassel intact — the tassels are usually the first fitting to be lost.
JB-1013 Katana
Koto Gunome Blade
Mumei kotō-period blade with a clean gunome hamon — remounted at least three times across centuries of use, now presented as a bare blade.
JB-1025 Gunto
Type 3 Guntō Signed Kanematsu (兼松), 1944
A late-war Type 3 (Rinji Seishiki) army guntō signed Kanematsu (兼松) of the Seki tradition, dated November 1944 — complete koshirae showing field wear.
Buy with confidence
Every piece we list carries condition notes, a clear account of what is and isn't established about it, and principal measurements on request, all backed by a 14-day returns policy. We also offer mei translation and a second opinion before you commit, whether or not you buy from us. New collectors are exactly who we enjoy helping start out.
