NBTHK certification

In the following we would like to give an overview of the NBTHK certification process. The NBTHK concerns itself with the preservation of Japanese Art Swords and Kodogu. This includes the inspection and certification of such items. Every year they hold several inspection meetings called ‘Shinsa’. Collectors may hand their items in for Shinsa to receive one of the following certificates:

• Hozon
• Tokubetsu Hozon
• Juyo
• Tokubetsu Juyo

To acquire a certain rank of certificate a piece first has to receive the rank below that one, which means any item without certificates has first to get Hozon papers. It is possible to directly apply for Tokubetsu Hozon though and it saves some money in case the item achieves that rank. Additionaly, an item can receive ‘Horyu’ which is not a rank, it means that the Shinsa members were not sure about an attribution and that the item would have to handed in again to receive a certificate. However, the outcome afterwards is not clear and it has been seen that items received Horyu several times in a row.

If you would like to get your items certified we recommend authentication of sword fittings and swords by NBTHK via Tsuba.info. An overview of prices is given below. Please note that NBTHK might change prices without notice. Thus below prices might change even though items have already been submitted.

Read about the basic process for getting your swords certified here: https://tsuba.info/certificationofjapaneseswords/