Can You Own a Real Samurai Sword in America?
Swords made in the traditional Japanese style come in several basic types:
- Katana
- Wakizashi
- Tanto
There are a few other more specialized varieties, like the daito and shoto. But katanas, wakizashis, and tantos make up most real-life samurai swords you might come across.
Authentic samurai swords like these are true artistic treasures. They represent functional weapons that are also exquisite works of master craftsmanship.
And so for the rest of this blog post, the term “samurai sword” refers to any traditionally constructed Japanese blades including properly made:
- Katanas
- Wakizashis
- Tantos
- Practice swords (“bokken”)
- Modern tactical swords in these formats
Federal Regulations
Believe it or not, at the federal level, there are no U.S. laws specifically about owning samurai swords!
The closest thing that exists is a series of general regulations about how long blades like these need to be packaged for import and shipping purposes under the Switchblade Knife Act. But there’s nothing in federal law that outright bans owning an authentic Japanese sword.
And so if you travel abroad to Japan and want to bring back a sword as a souvenir, that’s legal too. You may need to file some customs paperwork, but again – no outright federal ban exists.
This surprises lots of people because America otherwise regulates weapons quite strictly. But when it comes to domestic ownership and display, samurai swords are not classified as “weapons” at the federal level.
If you see beautifully forged makoto swords for sale at a swap meet or specialty shop and want to buy one for your collection, there’s nothing stopping you on a nationwide basis.
Key Takeaway: There are zero federal laws in the U.S. banning samurai sword ownership, display, or collecting for individuals without criminal records.
State Laws on Owning Samurai Swords
Now things get a little more complicated when we talk about individual state laws.
While the federal government doesn’t restrict law-abiding people from buying samurai swords, some states add extra regulations:
States Where Owning Samurai Swords is Fully Legal
Over half of America’s states have zero restrictions on purchasing, owning, or displaying samurai swords beyond following federal packaging laws for imports:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
In all these 32 states, regulations about sword length only matter for getting through customs when importing. But otherwise, there are zero restrictions on collectors purchasing antique samurai swords, modern replicas, or anything in between within state lines.
States with Partial Bans or Other Samurai Sword Restrictions
A minority of U.S. states and regulations on samurai swords beyond federal import rules:
- California –It’s illegal to openly carry samurai swords in public, but legal for collectors to own them. Concealed blades may also be prohibited in some cities like Los Angeles per local ordinances.
- Florida –You must be 18+ years old to purchase or own samurai swords.
- Illinois –Owning real samurai swords is fully legal, but cheap decorative replicas are banned.
- New York –You can’t have a sword visible in your car that could be considered hazardous while driving. Ownership and display otherwise is unrestricted.
- District of Columbia –Washington D.C. bans carrying any blades longer than 3 inches concealed or openly without a valid self-defense purpose. Ownership remains legal.
As you can see, even states with extra samurai sword laws only prohibit very specific things like concealed public carry. Overall it’s still relatively easy to buy and own these types of blades in over 90% of the country.
Samurai Sword Bans for Felons
One partial “ban” on samurai sword ownership that does exist in some states applies to people convicted of serious felonies.
If you have any felony convictions, you may be prohibited from purchasing swords and other weapons – even in states that otherwise permit ownership. Always carefully check your specific state laws for restrictions.
City and County Ordinances
In addition to statewide regulations, some counties and cities tack on additional rules against carrying weapons – including decorative swords – through public parks or municipal buildings.
Before strapping on your katana for a walk around town, verify what’s permitted in your specific county and city. But ownership itself is rarely restricted on a local level.
The Bottom Line: While a patchwork of laws exists, in most cases there are no significant hurdles for U.S. citizens without criminal histories to legally buy real samurai swords.
Permit and Paperwork Requirements
Since no nationwide ban exists for owning samurai swords, there’s also no federal permit or paperwork needed for collectors. As long as you meet any regulations in your state, you can freely buy decorative swords from a shop or private seller.
The only time you absolutely need to file paperwork is if you import a samurai sword into the country from abroad:
- You’ll need to complete import documentation asserting that your sword is properly packaged over a certain blade length under federal regulations.
- If you bring back an expensive sword from overseas, you may also need to pay import duties and taxes. Failure to declare items at customs can lead to fees or confiscation.
Outside of imports, though, purchasing and owning samurai swords is mostly paperwork-free for lawful collectors. Just make sure your state doesn’t ban convicted felons or have other restrictions.
The Bottom Line: Proper import paperwork is required to bring samurai swords into America. But once they clear customs, no registration or permits apply for collectors in most areas.
Being a Responsible Samurai Sword Owner
Assuming you’ve checked all relevant state laws and don’t see any obstacles to purchasing a samurai sword, a few quick tips for being a conscientious owner:
- Store Carefully– Samurai swords can be fragile historical artifacts in addition to functioning blades. Store your sword somewhere clean, dry, and secure. Never leave it lying unattended where visitors or kids could access it. Apply protective oil regularly to maintain the polish and prevent rust.
- Take Classes– If you actually plan to use your sword for martial arts practice, sign up for in-person training on handling it safely. Attempting sword moves without professional guidance risks injuring yourself or damaging the blade.
- Transport Responsibly– Swords over a certain length need protection and padding to transport safely. When moving houses or taking a collectible sword somewhere in your vehicle, sheathe it securely and handle it with extra care.
- Never Use Irresponsibly– Highly skilled martial artists can still cause grave harm misusing a sharp sword. Never wield, swing, or threaten anyone with a metal-bladed weapon unless defending life against an attacker as a last resort.
- Check Local Laws– Some cities and counties prohibit carrying weapons – including decorative swords – through public parks or municipal buildings. Before taking your katana around town, verify what’s permitted in that area.
- Inspect Build Quality– Poorly constructed swords can break or have flaws that injure users. If buying modern replicas for practice, only purchase swords made by reputable forges that follow traditional techniques. Handle antiques extremely gently and have them appraised before using.
- Educate Yourself– Samurai swords like the katana rightfully belong alongside notorious weapons like the medieval longsword or gladius. But their origins developed independently in Japan, not Europe. Before collecting samurai blades, read up on the specialized culture and terminology to appreciate them.
The Bottom Line – Can You Own a Samurai Sword in America?
In most cases across the majority of states…yes!
Owning authentic samurai swords is fully legal in over 60% of U.S. states, with no registration or paperwork required for collectors. The rest have only minor restrictions like age limits – but outright bans are very rare.
As long as your state doesn’t prohibit ownership – and you take sensible safety precautions as a historical weapons collector – buying a real sword forged in the samurai tradition is fairly straightforward.
