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- Jun 2, 2020
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This is a subject I do not understand fully as my Japanese reading skills are about as good as a 4 year old.
This is specifically a knife makers question, but it does have to do with Japanese sword making laws and registering, but I think this forum is more suited than knife laws. As this isn't about laws about carrying or owning things. This is specifically a law that only effects bladesmiths. So all Japanese sword makers know this set of rules.
But what I cannot find out is how these rules apply to people outside of Japan who visit the country,
So you cannot just "Make a sword" in Japan, it's not like in the west or any other country really it's unique. You legally cannot just make a sword, and even if you are a registered sword maker, you cannot just make a sword out of any steel and go and sell it as per usual business for us.
There are rules very serious ones that can get you arrested and shut down if you do not follow. Your sword must be made out of jewel steel, tamahagane, period. You also are limited to how many swords you can make each month, and it's close to 1.
You cannot just get some SK5 and hammer out a katana, you will be arrested. The sword also needs to be registered and documented by the government.
This of course is the native law for Japanese citizens, but I cant find any info on how this all applies to visitors.
For example if I vacation in Japan and am there for a month, and decide hey you know what would be cool? If I forged a sword while I'm here to take home with me. You can't do that in Japan unless you apply to be a bladesmith there first? I have no clue I cannot find the info.
Also does this only apply to katana or swords 3 shaku and up, because a 1 shaku tanto is knife length, I am allowed to make a knife there with no registration. But where is the cut off line. Can I make a tanto, or are those regulated like katana.
How do you even go about requesting such a thing, would it be some sort of visiting visa permit, a certification process. Also the laws on jewel steel are tightly regulated, so I can't just go and grab some tamahagane from the local hitachi website. Also the jewel steel cannot leave Japan unless it is documented after being forged into a blade, then it has papers given and can be sold even abroad.
Are non Japanese citizens allowed to apply for some kind of visiting pass, obviously there must be ways for people to get around this, especially for American and European Bladesmiths visiting Japan, or even migrating to Japan.
This is specifically a knife makers question, but it does have to do with Japanese sword making laws and registering, but I think this forum is more suited than knife laws. As this isn't about laws about carrying or owning things. This is specifically a law that only effects bladesmiths. So all Japanese sword makers know this set of rules.
But what I cannot find out is how these rules apply to people outside of Japan who visit the country,
So you cannot just "Make a sword" in Japan, it's not like in the west or any other country really it's unique. You legally cannot just make a sword, and even if you are a registered sword maker, you cannot just make a sword out of any steel and go and sell it as per usual business for us.
There are rules very serious ones that can get you arrested and shut down if you do not follow. Your sword must be made out of jewel steel, tamahagane, period. You also are limited to how many swords you can make each month, and it's close to 1.
You cannot just get some SK5 and hammer out a katana, you will be arrested. The sword also needs to be registered and documented by the government.
This of course is the native law for Japanese citizens, but I cant find any info on how this all applies to visitors.
For example if I vacation in Japan and am there for a month, and decide hey you know what would be cool? If I forged a sword while I'm here to take home with me. You can't do that in Japan unless you apply to be a bladesmith there first? I have no clue I cannot find the info.
Also does this only apply to katana or swords 3 shaku and up, because a 1 shaku tanto is knife length, I am allowed to make a knife there with no registration. But where is the cut off line. Can I make a tanto, or are those regulated like katana.
How do you even go about requesting such a thing, would it be some sort of visiting visa permit, a certification process. Also the laws on jewel steel are tightly regulated, so I can't just go and grab some tamahagane from the local hitachi website. Also the jewel steel cannot leave Japan unless it is documented after being forged into a blade, then it has papers given and can be sold even abroad.
Are non Japanese citizens allowed to apply for some kind of visiting pass, obviously there must be ways for people to get around this, especially for American and European Bladesmiths visiting Japan, or even migrating to Japan.