Antique samurai swords

Each piece is a samurai sword with its own history and place in Japanese history.

Only the Japanese blades are usually shown. As the blades are of particular interest to collectors, most of the antique swords in this category are mounted in a simple wooden mount (shirasaya). However, if you buy a samurai sword from us, we can usually have additional mounts made if required.

The type of mount (Koshirae) included is stated in the respective description.

Samurai sword buy in the Japan-Budo Onlineshop

Here you will find a wide selection of genuine swords from Japan, dating back to the various eras of Japanese history.

The prices can vary greatly. The price depends above all on the quality of the respective blade.

We try to offer something suitable in every price segment. So there should be the right real samurai sword for everyone.
If you are planning to buy a genuine samurai sword, you are sure to find what you are looking for here.

To organise our shop more clearly, we have divided it into Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto.

A brief explanation of what this means:

Antique Tachi

Is the original samurai sword. It was used from the 9th century onwards. In the course of the 14th and 15th centuries, it lost its position of supremacy and was increasingly replaced by the shorter katana.

Antique katana

The katana is the most widely recognised samurai sword today. It has an overall length of approx. 1 metre and was worn on the belt (obi) with the cutting edge pointing upwards.

It came into fashion in the 14th century and is still the sword that people talk about when they talk about a real samurai sword.

Most interested parties would therefore like to buy this samurai sword.

Antique wakizashi

This is a shorter version of the katana. It was worn together with the long sword on the belt.

In the Edo period, it was compulsory for samurai to wear a daisho (a set of katana and wakizashi) in public in order to be directly identifiable.

As it is also one of the most important samurai swords, but is generally much cheaper than katana and tachi, price-conscious buyers often decide to buy this samurai sword.

Antique Tanto and Kaiken

Tanto

Tanto is the Japanese knife that samurai carried as part of their samurai weapon collection, as well as ordinary people in the civilian population.

It is one of the oldest bladed weapons from Japan and such blades have been made by many famous swordsmiths throughout history.

Kaiken

Sometimes also called Kwaiken and is similar to the Tanto, which is why we have combined both samurai weapons in one category.

Kaiken are more reminiscent of knives, in contrast to the tanto, which often really looks like a small sword.

A piece of Japanese history

The samurai sword is closely linked to Japanese history. For centuries, the samurai have characterised the political and social image of Japan.

Each of these samurai swords has its own history and is a part of Japanese history. The assignment to the different eras alone gives the swords a firm connection to a specific time.

You become the owner of such a piece of history when you buy a genuine samurai sword. Please be aware of this responsibility.

Buying swords as an investment?

Some customers buy these genuine katana as an investment. Swords are so-called tangible assets, which means an investment that does not lose its value through inflation.

That is basically correct, but these are collector's items.
This means that if you buy an antique samurai sword, the reason should be your enthusiasm for the sword and not the short-term goal of making a profit.

Anyone interested in astronomical increases in value and profits is better off trying their luck on the stock market or with the lottery.

Why are antique swords from Japan mounted in Shirasaya?

These samurai swords are highly respected and sometimes extremely valuable artefacts. Nevertheless, they are usually in very simple wooden mounts when you buy antique swords. What is behind them?

What is Shirasaya?

Shirasaya is a mount made of unpainted wood that has been reduced to the bare essentials. It has no metal fittings or other decorations.

You won't find the typical sageo and other details on Shirasaya either.

Why this type of mount?

The mount is reduced to the bare essentials, making it perfect for storing blades.

The lacquering of normal sword sheaths has a negative effect on the blade steel for centuries. Shirasaya mounts are also space-saving, allowing more blades to be stored in a smaller space.

The scabbard can easily be inscribed with characters to document additional information about the sword.

In our shop you will find additional sword pouches for the protected storage of samurai swords in Shirasaya mounts. You can find these in our category Sword pouches.

Buying an authentic samurai sword is based on trust

The swords in this category all have a certain price. A purchase requires that you can rely on the information about the swords. Buying an authentic samurai sword with a good feeling has become more difficult in the age of fast internet shops.

We try to show the swords in as much detail as possible so that you can get a good picture of them. Many swords also have papers from external experts, such as the NBTHK. Such external evaluations are very important for anyone who wants to buy a samurai sword, as they offer a neutral assessment of the respective sword by experts.

With more than 30 years on the market, we are a long-established online shop and we are not interested in making a quick buck at the expense of buyers. We have always stood for this with our name and will continue to do so in the future.

Nihonto Gallery

We are still working on a gallery with selected swords that we have sold in the past. As soon as our Nihonto Gallery goes online, we will share the link here.