A Nihonto Holiday, Tips please.

[Nicholas Fu]

Hello my fellow Nihonto Enthusiasts! 
 

i am excited to announce that I am planning a trip to Japan purely for a Nihonto holiday!  I have to go to Singapore for my brothers wedding so I thought that I’d stop by Japan first for about a week.

 

I am currently planning on going sometime in November and to make the Dai Token ICHI for the first time in my life!  I will only be able to make day 1 however as I will have to leave on the 19th on the Saturday.

 

but I plan on visiting loads of museums and some sword dealers!  
 

I’m also considering doing the be a swordsmith for a day tourist attraction! 
 

would anyone have any tips or place recommendations for Nihonto enthusiasts? And any tips for the Dai Token Ichi etc? 
 

many advice and tips will greatly be appreciated

[Fuuten]

Definitely Kyoto and Tokyo national museum!

[Winchester]

Would love to do the same! Sounds like fun and please share photos if you don't mind. 

 

Japan is on our list of vacations but sadly down quite a ways. Safe travels.

[raaay]

if you are going to be there for week , it would be worth buying a Japan rail pass if you plan to do a few visits here and there , it will save you money in the long run .

 

 

[1kinko]

Not just swords but:

tokyo

Japanese Sword Museum

Nezu Museum

AOI sword shop

kyoto

Nijo Castle and palace

Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum

Golden and Silver Palace(?)

Rengeoin Sanjusangendo Monastery 

Okayama

Bizen Osofune Sword Museum

Okayama Castle and grounds

Okayama National (?) Museum

Lots more- Kyoto is a museum!

 

Travelzoo has a trip to China and Japan for $499 right now. Guided but hits Tokyo and Kyoto briefly. I’m seeing if I can stay another week or 2 in Japan at that rate.

 

[Nicholas Fu]

Ooooooo @1kinko, have you been to the Aoi sword shop before?  

[1kinko]

Yes. They are not the only ones in the area but have a lot of swords to evaluate.

[Nicholas Fu]

@1kinko

Whats the store like? are the dealers friendly to foreigners?

[1kinko]

It’s a little crowded, Tsuruta san is friendly and there is usually someone there who is pretty fluent in English. What you see on the website is representative of what you’ll be able to handle and evaluate with no rush.

[francois2605]

Nicholas, there is this hotel in Japan which looks pretty unique: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/29265-this-hotel-has-one-of-the-coolest-katana-collections-in-Japan-and-admission-is-totally-free

 

Edit: probably not compatible with your time constraints

[BjornLundin]

Get a railway pass!

 

1 week is short so plan well ahead, Tokyo is large so you could easily spend a lot of time there.

 

2-3 days in Osaka as a base camp. From there 1 day in Kyoto, 1 day in Nara and 1 day in Himeji and bizen. If going to bizen dont forget to visit bizen pottery in the same town. Or maybe skip Nara and stay all the time in Kyoto.

 

VIsit Spas (natural spring water) baths. There are both day (cheap) and overnight options. 

 

There is a lot of good food, so dont be afraid to try different stuff.

 

Osaka has a great vibe, almost better then Tokyo

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicholas Fu]

@BjornLundin

Thanks for the tip! 

I've already planned my trip, will be starting at Okayama, giving the Okayama bizen sword museum a visit, as well as the Hayashibara Museum of Art, as they have the exhibition for the Reiwa 4, modern swordsmithing comeptitions works.  Then heading to Kyoto for a day, and then 2 days in Nagoya for the Tokugawa museum, and to visit Seki, for Seki's traditional swordsmith museum.  And then will be spending the last 3-4 days in Tokyo to cap it off with the Dai Token Ichi 2022!

[BjornLundin]

Cool, I have lived in Okayama for a few years. So dont forget to visit Kora-kuen. The local train from Okayama station to bizen takes 30-45 min. So I would go to bizen in the morning, sword museum and then pottery and lunch. Then continue to Himeji, look at the fantastic castle there. Might be a que there but this time a year it may be short. Then take the shikansen from Himeji back to Okayama. There is a very good (if still there) grandmother and son sushi restaurang close to the sport park in Okayama (10-15 min walk from the station)... Or go for a Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki 👍. Ahh now I want go back to Japan 😰

[Nicholas Fu]

@BjornLundin

 

Thank you!!!

[paul tsubadotinfo]

Of course Aoi is famous but there is no real space and lighting in the shop and it is a bit of a mess. You will have to know which swords you want to see beforehand, because in the shop you won't find them :). If you want to have a big store with good lighting and many swords exhibited go to Token Matsumoto  near Nishi Kasai station on Tozai line. The owner speaks perfect english and is quite friendly and you can easily select swords you want to take a look at from the showcases. Also prices are quite reasonable. https://www.touken-matsumoto.jp/en

[Toryu2020]

Okayama - visit Setouchi City IF (check beforehand) if they have the Yamatorige on display at that time of year. Also Ando Sword Shop in Okayama City.

Nagoya - Atsuta Jingu has a brand new museum displaying many of the great swords that have been donated to the shrine over the centuries. Nagoya Castle. Sanmei Tokugawa Arts.

Kyoto - not a lot of sword shops but as stated the whole town is a museum. Fushimi take the sake brewery tours.

Osaka - Meirin Sangyo.

Tokyo - Ginza has the highest concentration of high end sword shops, many of the same dealers will be at DTI. Robot restaurant. Traditional Dance Restaurant. Samurai Restaurant. Don't know if there is Yakata-bune this year. Temple of the 47 Ronin. Edo-Tokyo Museum. Eisei Bunko, check to see what is on exhibit.

[Bugyotsuji]

If you’re checking out sword shops in Okayama City, consider Tamayama too, and Tōken Sato near Kurashiki.
 

Also the polisher Shibata San’s Tōken Gallery in Osafuné is just over the road from the museum.