Japanese Swords Banned from Tourist Programs, Putting Damper on the ‘Samurai Experience’

By Ryosuke Tsunekage / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

6:00 JST, May 29, 2025

YAMAGATA — A program that let tourists use real Japanese swords as part of the martial art iaido was suddenly canceled in January in Murayama, Yamagata Prefecture, because it violated the Firearms and Swords Control Law.

The program was popular among foreign tourists and even won an award from the central government. The city’s tourism association expressed disappointment about having to cancel the attraction.

In iaido, practitioners hone their body and mind through the motion of drawing their sword and attacking. Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (1542-1617), who is said to have created iaido, was born in Murayama and is venerated at its Kumano Iai-ryo-shrine, commonly known as the Iai Shrine.

In 2017, the Murayama municipal government planned a hands-on program for tourists to try out real Japanese swords on tubes of tatami. After confirming with the Yamagata prefectural police that there were no problems, the city commissioned the local tourism association to hold the program. This “samurai experience” proved to be a hit, and in fiscal 2020, it was selected for the martial arts tourism award sponsored by the central government.

However, as similar programs using real swords began to be offered in other parts of Japan, the National Police Agency issued a notice to police across the country on Dec. 25, saying that the use of registered swords by a large number of tourists for momentary amusement was not allowed under the Firearms and Swords Control Law.

“The Japanese sword experience was one of our main programs, so this is a real blow to us,” said the president of the tourist association. In response, the association switched to another program about batto-jutsu, or the art of sword drawing, and provided more detailed explanations.

Canceled nationwide

Bugeido Musubi, a dojo in the town of Kosaka, Akita Prefecture, also terminated its program, in which participants could cut straw bundles with real swords. The dojo was told by the prefectural police that it could be putting itself at significant risk if it failed to comply with the NPA’s notice and continued to allow tourists to use swords. An official for the program complained that reservations had dropped off because the highlight of the 90-minute “samurai experience” was no longer available.

In March, a lodging facility in Sanmu, Chiba Prefecture, began offering a program where tourists could experience the art of sword drawing using a real sword, and information about the program was put up on its website. However, after hearing that the NPA had tightened its rules, the facility took down the web page with the information in late April.