Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai

After the Meiji Restoration and the Swords Abolishment Edict (廃刀令, Haitōrei),[1] a major concern grew that the swords would be lost overseas.[2] Although Japanese sword making was an abandoned practice, it was revived in the 4th Imperial exhibition in 1934. The Nihonto Tanren Renshu Jo (lit. 'Japanese swordsmithing training center') led by Kurihara Hikosaburō discovered 82 swordsmiths from the local area and supported them.[3]

After the end of World War II, the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers confiscated Japanese swords.[4] However, swords that were deemed "household treasures" were excluded from the confiscation.[5]

The "Prohibition of possession of firearms" (Emperor's Decree No. 300) was promulgated, and the prohibition of "swords and valuable items as art" was excluded on June 1, 1946.[6]

The Japanese government designated 17 swords as important works of art.[7]

Volunteers established the Foundation on February 24, 1948, to pass Japanese swords on to future generations. The team was led by Junji Homma and Kan'ichi Sato, who at the time were a leading Japanese sword researcher and director of the swords department of the Tokyo National Museum respectively.[8]

Initially, the headquarter office was located at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, Taitō, Tokyo, Japan.

The National Museum (currently Tokyo National Museum) held the "Sword Art Special Exhibition" in May 1948 as an exhibition of swords as works of art.[9] In the same year, the association started a certification system for swords. In addition, the 1st presentation of sword polishing production technology was held.

The association has published a specialized magazine, "Sword Art", since 1949.[10] The magazine presents commentaries with images of famous swords and sword tools. A question was presented as a "paper appraisal" showing the Oshigata of the Hamon (刃文の押形), and the correct answer is explained in the next issue.

In 1955, the first sword technology presentation was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and thereafter.[11]

In 1968, the association moved the office to Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, and opened the Japanese Sword Museum with the funds raised by the members, to exhibit the saved and preserved swords.[11]

In 1976, in order to secure sword-making materials that would become increasingly difficult to obtain, the Nittoho Tatara Plant was established to produce wako (Japanese steel for blades) and tamahagane (High-quality blade steel), in Okuizumo town, Shimane Prefecture.[11]

In 1977, the Nittoho Tatara Plant was revived in Yokota Town, Shimane Prefecture.

The price of a sword rose if it was certified with a "Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Association Certificate". In 1981, many certified swords, such as "Special Valuable Swords", were discovered to be fake. The board of directors took the following measures in September: the chairman and all directors resigned, the sword certification system was reviewed, and alleged judges were removed.[12] As a result, the system for appraisal was changed from the conventional system for sword approval in 1982.

In 2006, issues with shinsa (grading examination) became a problem in the House of Representatives.

In 2009, more than 400 unregistered swords, whose owners were unknown, were discovered in the NBTHK's storage. In 2011, the documents on a violation of the Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law were sent to the prosecutor's office, involving the NBTHK, the then-director, and managing director, due to 36 unregistered swords in their possession.[13][14] In 2012, the directors were exempted from prosecution.

On April 1, NBTHK was certified as a "public interest incorporated foundation" (公益財団法人) by the Cabinet Office of the Japanese government[11] (see history) by contributing "Sword Appraisal" to the public interest business.[15]

In 2017, the Japanese Sword Museum moved to Kuramae and relocated to a new building.[16]

The prestigious Sword Appraisal Certificate affects the quality and value of swords. For example, Meizukushi, a sword appraisal certificate from 1316 (Kamakura period), is held in the National Diet Library.

At the beginning of the Keichō era (1596–1598), Toyotomi Hideyoshi created a sword appraisal system, designated the Hon'ami family, and allowed the issuance of appraisal origami.[17] Until Kochū Hon'ami (? – 1725), the Hon'ami family's origami was rigorously appraised and trusted by people. After the 14th generation, origami was issued for unreliable swords, and trust was slightly lost.[18]

Today, appraisal is almost monopolized by the NBTHK, which is a public interest corporation certified by the government. In the answer from Bunmei Ibuki, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, said the "NBTHK is the only institute to appraise Japanese swords".[19]

However, there were complaints about the examinations being performed by this association. The Department of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ordered an investigation and instructed to ensure the fairness of the examination. NBTHK answered that the board members and their family members and examiners were not allowed to submit the examination.[20]

After that, the association applied for a sword examination that violated the resolution for improvement measures by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Representative Hosaka Nobuto raised a subject at the Culture and Science Committee at the 165th national diet on 20 October 2006.[21] In 2007, Representative Sasaki Kensho asked about examination application from board-members or non-members and unfair relation with specific dealers, etc.[20] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe submitted a response that included circumstances of the question to the chair of the House of Representatives.[22]

There were 344 cases of regulatory violations such as submitting examinations from board members, their families, and from non-members since the 2006 report. NBTHK announced self-restraint of submissions from board members, their families, staff members and examiners, and would be supervised by the Agency of Cultural Affairs.

The NBTHK is the organizer of the Gendai Tōshoku Ten (Japanese: 現代刀職展; formerly Shinsaku Meito Ten), a competition of modern Japanese swords.[23] The competitions focus on two sections of Japanese sword making, carving technique on blades, and metal engraving.

• Tokushō (Special prize)
• Takamatsu-no-Miya Memorial Award
• The NBTHK's President Award
• Kunzan (Junji Honma) Award
• Kanzan (Kanichi Sato) Award
• Yūshū-shō (Excellence Award)
• Doryoku-shō (Great effort Award)
• Shinjin-shō (Newcomer Award)
• Masamune Award

A swordsmith who wins each prize multiple times (eight times including two Takamatsu-no-Miya Awards, or ten Tokushō awards) is given the title of Mukansa and is considered to be one of the best modern smiths. The Masamune Award is only given when an outstanding sword made by a Mukansa smith is submitted. Most recently, the Masamune Award was given to Amata Akitsugu in 1996,[24] Norihiro Miyairi in 2010 for a tantō,[25] and Kunihira Kawachi in 2014 for a tachi.[26]

• NBTHK website
• Japanese Sword Museum