The vocabulary: samurai sword → katana → nihonto

Dealers and collectors almost never say "samurai sword". The blade itself is a katana if it is the classic long sword, with over 60 cm of cutting edge, and the whole family of traditionally made Japanese blades is called nihonto. A samurai formally wore two: the katana paired with the shorter wakizashi, a set called the daisho. Learning these three words unlocks the entire market: every dealer catalog, every certificate, every reference book uses them.

What makes a samurai sword "real"?

Three things separate the genuine article from the thousands of decorative replicas sold online. First, the steel: a true blade is folded and forged from tamahagane or comparable traditional steel, then differentially hardened; the wavy hamon line along the edge is crystalline structure, not etching. Second, the smith: real blades are individually made and usually signed on the tang, and many can be attributed to a named smith or school. Third, the papers: Japanese examination bodies, above all the NBTHK, issue certificates that grade authenticity and quality.

On a budget, an unsigned Edo-period wakizashi with papers is a common first purchase; at the top of the market stand Juyo-certified masterpieces. Either way the buying rule is the same: buy the blade with the certificate, from a specialist.

Buying one here

The listings below are the katana currently offered by the specialist dealers we track worldwide. Each links to the dealer's own page, where you inquire and purchase directly. Prices run from a few thousand dollars for honest antique blades to museum level for important certified works.

Established houses such as Aoi Art, Nipponto and Toushin supply much of the inventory, and every listing names its dealer.