How Much Did A Sword Cost New?

[obiwanknabbe]

I dont know if it has been discussed here before, but does anyone have a rough idea what the going rate for a sword was for the average samurai in feudal Japan? price in US dollars or original currency? I just to know how much gold i need to bring back with me when i finally get this time travel issue worked out...lol. 

 

Kurt K

[Bugyotsuji]

To buy a newly-made sword? Anything goes? I have seen old paperwork attesting to the value of a sword in so many tens of gold coins, but kazu-uchi mono would have been worth far less either new or used. It's such a broad spectrum.

To buy a new katana long sword from a traditional Bizen swordsmith today would probably cost you a minimum of 1,000,000 JPY. This sum would go to cover so many factors, not least keeping the smith in house and home for so many months.

Can you narrow down your target?

[Okiiimo]

This report by Markus Sesko was enlightening to the same question I once had... http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/articles/Swordpricessamurai.pdf

 

It's worth a read.

[Ichi]

Thanks, Allan.  Very detailed and helpful.

 

Erol aka Ichi

[Bugyotsuji]

Incidentally a suit of armour is said to have cost about the same as a house built commensurate with your wealth and status.

[paul griff]

Hello,

Very interesting topic and Markus Sesko's report supplied by Allan is fascinating reading...Thank you.

Regards,

Paul.

[PNSSHOGUN]

We can see how grand and prestigious the gift of a fine sword from a Daimyo or Shogun to a retainer, or another Daimyo, could be. 

[lonely panet]

theres a very good essay from the board about samurai's salary and the cost of sword. maybe another smarter person can remember it

[Bugyotsuji]

Five posts above, Hamfish?

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Thank you so much Allan for the reference to the Sesko essay. It is difficult enough to make real cost/income comparisons between decades; for hundreds of years, so much steeper!

 Arnold F.

[Okiiimo]

Please give Mr Sesko credit for his wonderful research! I just purchased his sword stories 1 ebook which contains this article and other fascinating anecdotes.

[obiwanknabbe]

That is a fascinating article... so by my calculations ill need about 6.85 oz of gold to buy myself a high quality blade.. about 15oz for something really outrageous. A the current rate of exchange i think ill be better off converting my gold assets into silver as the historic 16:1 ratio is way off at the moment. Thanks for the replies my friends.. I have learned something new. Sweet.

 

Kurt K

[Bugyotsuji]

Converting gold assets to silver? Were you looking to make an investment in a sword?

[obiwanknabbe]

That was a bit of a joke Piers, going back to the original post at the top..   I do already have several very nice blades in my collection . Nothing mind blowing, but nice and within my present means . This all started with my wondering how current Shinken prices stacked up to original historic prices.

 

Kurt K

[Okiiimo]

Based on Mr Sesko's report, swords today are a bargain considering during the Edo period, the cost of a sword could be measured in years of total income for probably what we would consider "mid-level" blades. Today, we can purchase probably the equivalent blade at maybe 5-10% of annual total income. Only the top end swords available might be measured in cost of years of annual total income for the average person.

[Bugyotsuji]

Kurt, I was not too sure after reading and re-reading what you wrote, so I thought it better to ask!

 

If you do fly to Japan, you may find a good, old sword for possibly less than a newly-made blade. The marketplace does not encourage young and up-coming smiths. Hoping you find something nice!

[BenVK]

Interesting subject.

 

A few years ago, I did a lot of research on how much it cost a German Officer in WWII to kit himself out with uniforms and kit. Officers had to buy their own items but could pay a yearly sum to the "Kleiderkasse" which was and still is a means of buying military kit for a discounted rate or on credit from official outlets.

 

I wonder if Samurai ever had similar set up?