Katana Blog
In warehouses across China, factories are producing hundreds of thousands of swords every year — swords that will be listed on global marketplaces as "authentic Japanese katana," sold to buyers in America, Europe, Australia, and everywhere else the internet reaches,...
The Anatomy of a Tozando Purchase — What Happens From Click to Delivery
Buying a Japanese sword from Japan is not like buying a book or a piece of jewellery online. It involves export permits, customs documentation, specialist packaging, and a process that — done correctly — takes four to six weeks from...
How to Choose the Right Katana for Your Budget — A Decision Tree for First-Time Buyers
You have decided you want a genuine Japanese sword. You have read about NBTHK certification, antique versus modern, periods and schools — and now you have a number in mind for what you are willing to spend. The question that...
Gallery Tozando — Modern Swords in the Ancient Capital
In the Shogoin district of Kyoto — a neighbourhood where temple bells and the sounds of daily life have coexisted for centuries — there is a space unlike any other in Japan's sword world. Gallery Tozando does not display relics....