Original Item: Only One Available. The end of WWII marked the beginning of the sword ownership ban in Japan. By law, Japanese citizens were forbidden to own swords. General McArthur did not want the general population to be able to arm again. Most soldiers and citizens surrendered their swords to the American occupying forces. The Americans destroyed a large number of swords by dumping them into the ocean or by melting them. But a small percentage made its way back to the United States and into the collector market.

This excellent example is a genuine WWII Japanese Type 95 NCO Samurai Sword or katana, with aluminum handle construction and machine forged fullered blade. Blade is 26 3/8 inches long, with an overall length of 36 3/8 inches. The grip wrapping and menuki are cast-formed out of aluminum, and then painted to give the illusion of fabric wrappings and gilt menuki. The design copies the typical WWII Imperial Japanese Army style fittings, known as the "New Military Sword" ( 新軍刀 - shin guntou) style, with a single hanger ring and bolster on the scabbard. It is said that during battle soldiers would not use the ring but rather would stick the sword through the belt the same way as the Samurai in ancient times. NCO Katanas were issued to soldiers who did not want to take their family sword to battle or who came from poor families that did not have swords to pass down through the generations.

All NCO swords were numbered. This example is numbered 139186, while the throat of the scabbard is numbered 139429. Most swords do not have matching numbers because somewhere along the life of the sword the scabbard was changed. This could either be to to loss, damage, or just being misplaced at arsenal. Next to the serial on the blade is the 東 (To) marking for Tokyo Arsenal. The Fuchi (grip collar) of the sword is the later war simplified iron type, with a cast in seppa, and is not marked with the arsenal and maker information like earlier examples were.

The sword is complete with the metal locking spring tab that secures the blade to the scabbard. This prevents the sword from falling when the soldier is running. Traditionally this function is assigned to the Habaki (blade collar). But machine made swords like this one do not have the accuracy of manufacturing that enable the Habaki to perform such a function. The metal loop on the pommel is still present and in very good condition. Attached to it is a tan colored tassel, which may be a wartime or post ware addition. Usually NCO swords had leather sword knots.

The condition of this sword overall is excellent, and the blade is for the most part in great shape, bright and shiny. There are a few small areas of oxidation staining near the tip and on the spine, which we have left intact to avoid marring the finish on the blade. The rest of the blade just shows a bit of light scuffing, and no edge dents, chips, or other damage. It is still quite sharp and should be handled with care.

The brown paint on the pommel is very well retained, and correctly does not run off the faux "wrappings", so we see no reason to think it has been repainted. There is also still most of the original amber yellow highlighting on the "menuki" on the grip and on the cherry blossom on the pommel. The tsuba (crossguard) is the mid-late war simplified iron MARU GATA (round) shape, with no holes to reduce weight. The blade collar (habaki) is the standard brass, and there is a cast in seppa on top of the guard. The scabbard still has the original olive green WWII finish relatively well retained, showing some crazing and checking from age. There are some areas of missing paint, which have allowed to steel to oxidize, however the paint is still retained at about 75%, much more than we often see.

There are some Chinese replicas of these out there, however this sword is definitely genuine. The spacers (seppa) are cast and rounded, while the replicas are crudely cut. The scabbard is painted the correct green color, and the spacing from the top to the hanging ring is the correct length. Overall the fit and finish is definitely far above a replica, which can be seen in the photos.

Overall an excellent condition WW2 Type 95 NCO Katana with a lovely blade and complete with great scabbard. A lovely example that will appreciate in value over the coming years. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 26 3/8"
Blade Style: Katana
Overall length: 36 3/8“
Scabbard Length: 29 1/4"