Month: June 2026

Every June, at the end of our fiscal year, we take an annual trip with our staff and business partners. It is a valuable opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the hard work and achievements of the past year, while also building momentum and motivation for the year ahead.
This year marked our 12th annual trip, and we traveled to Bintan Island in Indonesia via Singapore.
We were blessed with excellent weather and fully enjoyed the trip, taking a welcome break from our daily work. In Indonesia, we relaxed and enjoyed the tropical atmosphere. In Singapore, we were guided by the president of our tax advisor’s local office and visited several key landmarks of this remarkable international hub city. 
The trip passed far too quickly, but it was a truly enjoyable and refreshing experience for all of us.
Now, feeling recharged and motivated, we are ready to do our very best again in the coming year.

 

 

The results of the 2026 Modern Sword Craftsmen Exhibition have been announced, covering the categories of polishing, blade engraving, metal carving, shirasaya, sword mountings, tsuka wrapping, and habaki making.　For sword craftsmen, the results of this exhibition represent an evaluation of the skills they have devoted themselves to refining over the past year.　I personally know many craftsmen—both those I regularly work with and those with whom I have close relationships—who dedicate themselves every day with the goal of winning a special prize. Because of this, I believe each craftsman received the results with mixed emotions, experiencing both joy and disappointment.　Among them, I am especially pleased to share that polisher Kawakami Yōichirō, who worked together with us at Token Matsumoto for five years, received the highest award in the Shinogi-zukuri polishing division: the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award.　Although he has been extremely busy since becoming independent, he still makes time once a month to help us. He carefully removes minor hike-kizu and small rust spots from swords in our collection.　I have had many opportunities to observe his work up close. Spending a full day watching him polish swords, I have witnessed firsthand his sincere dedication to sword polishing and his extraordinary concentration.　That is why this award feels so well deserved. It is the result of years of steady effort and commitment. I am truly happy for him and deeply proud of his achievement.　When we heard the news, everyone on our staff was overjoyed.

At the Noda-kai, a trade-only sword auction that I organize, we hold study sessions every other month to help improve the knowledge and expertise of young and mid-career sword dealers who participate in the auction. For these sessions, we invite Nakahara sensei, a respected Japanese sword scholar who has served as a lecturer at many sword study groups.
This time, Nakahara sensei gave a practical lecture from the perspective of a sword dealer, covering topics such as how to evaluate unsigned swords attributed to the Hokke school, as well as important points regarding suriage and koshirae.
In our industry, what you know—or do not know—directly affects your business. The ability to judge authenticity and accurately assess value requires continuous study and years of experience. That is why every participant listened to the lecture with great focus and seriousness.
After the session, I received many words of appreciation from the participants, which made me feel that hosting these study sessions is truly worthwhile.
I sincerely hope that each sword dealer will continue to refine both knowledge and discernment, and grow into the next generation of professionals who will support and preserve the Japanese sword industry.

We held the 20th Nishikasai Token Ichi, our quarterly Japanese sword fair, at our Tokyo Nishikasai shop from June 10 to June 14. Since opening our new shop in July 2021, we have continued to hold this event every three months, and we are delighted to have reached this milestone 20th edition. During the event, we welcomed not only our regular customers, but also many familiar collectors who visit us every three months, as well as overseas collectors traveling in Japan. The shop was lively throughout the event. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our customers for their continued support, which has made this achievement possible. We will continue to stay true to our original mission and strive to create a shop that collectors and enthusiasts will always want to visit again. We look forward to seeing you at the next Nishikasai Token Ichi!

Although the regular Nodakai Sword Auction is held at our Noda headquarters on the 3rd and 19th of every month, the June 3 meeting is a special annual event held at a hotel venue as a way of expressing our appreciation to the sword dealers who regularly support and attend Nodakai.
On the evening before the auction, we held a banquet to strengthen friendships among participants. This year, everyone enjoyed a special performance by Keiko, a pole dancer and magician who holds the title of World Pole Dance Champion.
There was concern that Typhoon No. 6, accompanied by extremely strong winds, might make a direct impact on the morning of June 3. Fortunately, the situation was not as severe as feared, and more than fifty sword dealers attended, as they do each year.
The auction featured many attractive items, including Juyo Token blades, a tsuba by Shoami Denbei, and numerous fresh-to-the-market pieces. Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of the attendees, the event concluded successfully and in a lively atmosphere.
Our staff spent two busy days preparing for and managing the event, but it was a rewarding and fulfilling experience for all of us.