Shipping Japanese Swords to Europe

For years, collectors across much of Europe were told the same thing: we cannot ship a Japanese sword to your country. That has changed. Through our European forwarding hub in the Netherlands, we now deliver throughout the European Union — fully tracked, insured, and with free shipping.

Across the EU Delivery throughout the European Union

Free Shipping No delivery charge on your sword

Tracked & Insured Protected at every stage of the journey

Legally Exported Permitted by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs

Why European Collectors Had to Wait

A nihonto is not an ordinary parcel. Export documentation, national import rules, and the simple fact that it is a blade have long meant that most international couriers would carry Japanese swords to only a small handful of European countries. Collectors in Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg and many other nations were left with two choices: slow sea freight with little visibility, or nothing at all.

We were never comfortable with either. Entrusting a certified antique blade — often centuries old, and in most cases the only one of its kind — to weeks of untracked transit is not a service we were willing to recommend.

So in spring of this year we built the alternative ourselves.

Before Your Sword Travels: Export Permission

Every Japanese sword leaving Japan must first receive export permission from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the government body responsible for the nation’s cultural property. Your sword is formally examined and approved for export before it may leave the country.

This means your sword is not dispatched the day you order it — and that is precisely the point. The same process that delays your parcel is the process that confirms it is a genuine, registered Japanese sword rather than a reproduction. It is the reason a blade purchased from us can be owned openly and lawfully in your country.

You will not be left wondering. After you order, we contact you directly with the expected timeline for your particular sword, and we keep you informed as your sword moves through each stage — from approval to dispatch to delivery.

Our European Hub in the Netherlands

Rather than searching for a single carrier willing to reach every European address from Japan, we established a forwarding hub in the Netherlands. Once cleared for export, your sword travels from Kyoto to that hub as a fully tracked, insured international shipment, and is then forwarded to your address by a trusted carrier appropriate to your country.

The result is straightforward: a route that reaches across the European Union, without ever placing your sword on an untracked or uninsured leg of the journey.

Approved for export in Japan Your sword receives export permission from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, confirming its status as a genuine registered sword.
Prepared and documented in Kyoto Our specialists pack your sword with all documentation required for it to leave Japan lawfully.
Flown to our Netherlands hub The blade travels as a tracked, insured international shipment under its first tracking number.
Forwarded to your country From the hub, your sword is dispatched to your address by a trusted carrier — and a new tracking number is issued for this final stage, which we send to you.

Two Tracking Numbers, One Continuous Journey

Because your order is forwarded through our European hub, your shipment will have two tracking numbers: one for the journey from Japan to the Netherlands, and a second for the final delivery to your country.

This is normal and expected. We send you the second number as soon as it is issued, so that your sword remains traceable from the moment it leaves Kyoto until it reaches your hands. If you ever find that your original tracking number has stopped updating, it simply means your sword has reached the hub and is being prepared for the final stage — please contact us and we will confirm exactly where it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you ship a Japanese sword to my country in Europe?

Yes. Through our forwarding hub in the Netherlands, we deliver authentic Japanese swords throughout the European Union — including countries we were previously unable to serve, such as Spain and Luxembourg.

National regulations on the ownership and import of blades differ from country to country, and a small number of European nations restrict private purchases. If you have any doubt about your own country, please contact us before ordering and we will confirm your situation directly.

When will my sword be dispatched?

Every sword must first receive export permission from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, so swords are not dispatched immediately after purchase. This is a formal government process and an essential part of exporting a genuine Japanese sword lawfully.

After you place your order, we will contact you directly with the expected timeline for your sword, and we will keep you updated as it progresses. Once dispatched, your sword travels quickly — tracked and insured for the entire journey.

Why does export permission take time?

Japanese swords are treated as cultural property in Japan. Each blade must be reviewed and approved by the Agency for Cultural Affairs before it may leave the country. There is no way to shorten this process, and any seller who bypasses it is not exporting lawfully.

We regard this as one of the strongest assurances we can offer you: the same review that takes time is the review that confirms your sword is genuine and properly registered.

How much does shipping to Europe cost?

Shipping is free on swords sent to Europe, including the forwarding stage through our Netherlands hub.

Please note that import duties or taxes levied by your own country are separate from shipping and remain the responsibility of the recipient.

Is my sword insured while in transit?

Yes. Your sword is insured throughout its journey, on both the international leg from Japan and the final delivery within Europe.

Can I track my order?

Yes, at every stage. You will receive a tracking number when your sword leaves Japan, and a second tracking number once it is forwarded from our Netherlands hub to your address. We send the second number to you as soon as it is issued.

Do I need to arrange any documentation myself?

No. We obtain the export permission and prepare all documentation required for your sword to leave Japan lawfully, including its Japanese registration papers. You simply receive the parcel.

If your country requires anything additional on the import side, we will tell you before your order is dispatched.

Why is my sword being sent through the Netherlands?

Very few carriers will accept a Japanese sword travelling directly from Japan to every European address. By forwarding through our own hub in the Netherlands, we can reach the whole of the European Union while keeping your sword tracked and insured for the entire journey — rather than resorting to slow, unmonitored sea freight.

Is the sword I receive a genuine, certified Japanese sword?

Yes. Our antique blades are genuine nihonto, legally registered in Japan, and NBTHK certification is our standard for authentication where applicable. Each sword is personally examined by our specialists in Kyoto before it is offered for sale, and each is formally approved for export by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.