Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions apply to all purchases made through Unique Japan (uniquejapan.com), a website owned and operated by Marchforth International Limited. By purchasing any item from Unique Japan, you agree to be bound by these terms. We reserve the right to update these terms at any time – the current version is always posted on this page.

If you have any questions about any of the below, please get in touch before completing your purchase. We are always happy to talk things through.

Marchforth International Limited, operators of Unique Japan, guarantees the authenticity of every Japanese sword it offers to its clientele. All swords are made using traditional methods of folding steel and in most cases are antiques with centuries of history. The rare exception to this is the occasional modern military sword produced using non-traditional mass manufacturing methods – in any such case this will be communicated clearly to the client before purchase.

We describe every sword to the best of our knowledge and ability, drawing on our own expertise, the accompanying certification papers, scholarly reference works, and the opinions of recognised experts. All known flaws, repairs or restorations are disclosed in the sword’s description and PDF documentation. There will be no surprises upon arrival.

Any sword that is known or suspected to carry a false signature (gimei) on the tang (nakago) will be disclosed to the client prior to purchase. Where a sword carries NBTHK or NTHK-NPO certification attesting to the genuineness of the signature, this represents the considered opinion of Japan’s most respected scholarly authorities. Unique Japan stands behind the authenticity of every piece we sell. If after careful examination you have substantive reason to believe that an item is not as described, please contact us immediately.

All swords purchased from Unique Japan come with a three-day inspection period beginning from the date of delivery. This gives you time to examine the sword in person and confirm that it is consistent with the description and photography you reviewed before purchase.

If for any reason you are not satisfied, the sword may be returned within this period for a full refund of the purchase price. The cost of return shipping is the buyer’s responsibility. The sword must be returned in the same condition in which it was sent, complete with all accompanying items – certificates, shirasaya, koshirae, PDF description, maintenance kit and any other included materials. Items returned damaged or incomplete may not be eligible for a full refund.

To initiate a return, please contact us by email at service@uniquejapan.com within the three-day window. Once this period has passed, or once you have confirmed acceptance of the sword, the sale is considered final.

Exception: Swords purchased on a layaway payment plan are not eligible for the three-day inspection period post-delivery. Buyers on layaway plans who wish to inspect a sword before committing to the plan should arrange this in advance – please see Section 4 below.

All sword purchases are settled by bank transfer. We do not accept credit or debit card payments. Invoices are issued in the following currencies depending on your location:

We offer two convenient ways to transfer payment:

Full payment is required before export paperwork is initiated. For layaway arrangements, the sword is held once the agreed deposit is received.

Service work and import projects: Custom koshirae projects, NBTHK shinsa applications, polishing, and other work performed in Japan – including all items carrying a UJIM item number – are contracted directly with Marchforth International Co., Ltd (株式会社), our Japanese operating company. Payments for these services are made in Japanese Yen to either the Mizuho Bank account or the Wise Japan account of Marchforth International Co., Ltd. Full payment details are provided at the time of contracting.

We offer no-interest or low-interest layaway plans over 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. This is a service we are happy to provide for clients making a significant acquisition, and it has helped many collectors acquire swords they might otherwise have had to pass on.

Layaway terms are agreed in writing before the plan begins. A deposit is required to secure the sword and take it off the market – the deposit amount is agreed on a case by case basis. Once a layaway plan is in place, instalments are non-refundable if the buyer withdraws from the agreement, as the sword has been held off the market for the duration.

Swords held on layaway are stored securely at our Tokyo studio and maintained with the same care we apply to our own collection. Japan is a safe environment and we take our responsibility as custodians seriously. However, swords are antique objects and over an extended storage period minor incidents can occasionally occur – a handling mark, a small scratch during maintenance, or similar. Should any such incident require attention, any reasonable repair cost will be passed to the client. We will always notify you immediately if anything occurs and discuss the appropriate course of action together.

In the unlikely event of significant damage to or loss of a sword while in our care – through circumstances beyond our control – we will refund the full amount paid to that point. We will not retain a client’s money for a sword we are unable to deliver in the condition agreed.

Inspection arrangements for layaway purchases: since the standard three-day inspection period does not apply post-delivery for layaway swords, buyers who wish to inspect a sword before committing should arrange this in advance. We can discuss options including video calls, additional photography, or – where practicable – viewing arrangements. Please raise this before the plan commences.

Shipping and export will be arranged once the final instalment is received.

Every sword sold by Unique Japan can be legally owned and exported outside of Japan – with the exception of the small number of swords designated as Japanese National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties, which we do not handle.

We manage all export registration and paperwork on your behalf, at no additional charge. This is a standard part of our service to every client. The process involves registering the change of ownership and obtaining the necessary export permit from the relevant Japanese authorities. It typically takes around four weeks from the time payment is received in full.

All export documentation provided will be accurate, complete and in full compliance with Japanese export law. You will receive copies of all relevant paperwork. The buyer is considered the importer of record in their own country and is responsible for compliance with their local import laws – please see Section 7 below.

We have shipped swords to clients around the world and take considerable pride in our ability to navigate even the most logistically challenging destinations, working with our specialist freight network. We take considerable care with our packaging – it is something we are frequently complimented on, and that is not by accident. A sword that has survived five hundred years deserves to travel well.

Shipments are sent from Japan via specialist international freight and courier services. All shipments include full track and trace and insurance to the declared value of the sword. A signature is required upon delivery.

In the event of damage during transit, please:

Only with the above steps completed can we file a successful insurance claim on your behalf. We will manage the claim process from our side once we have the necessary documentation from you.

Our insurance coverage ends the moment the package is signed for at the delivery address. If you have arranged a third party to receive the shipment on your behalf, any loss or damage after that point is the responsibility of the recipient.

As the buyer, you are the importer of record in your country and are responsible for compliance with all local import laws, regulations and tax obligations. We cannot be responsible for import duties, VAT, or customs charges levied by your country’s authorities, and we cannot predict what these will be in advance.

For reference, based on our experience of shipping to key markets:

Returns are accepted within the three-day inspection period as described in Section 2. Outside of this period, all sales are considered final.

Our photography sets a high bar – clients regularly tell us it is the finest produced by any sword dealer in the world. And yet the sword in hand exceeds it every time. The depth of the steel, the life in the hamon, the weight and presence of a five-hundred-year-old blade – these things simply have to be experienced. In twenty years and hundreds of swords shipped, not one client has returned a sword out of disappointment. The only return we have ever processed was due to transit damage – an event entirely outside our control and heart-breaking for everyone involved. The three-day inspection period is there for your peace of mind, but we are quietly confident you will not need it.

We do not accept returns on the following grounds:

If something has gone wrong – whether within or outside the inspection period – please contact us. We have been serving collectors for twenty years and our reputation matters to us. We will always try to find a fair resolution.

We invest considerable time and resources in the photography and written descriptions we produce for every sword – these are, in our view, the finest produced by any dealer in the field. We retain all rights to our photographs, catalogue PDF documents, written descriptions and website content.

Our images and descriptions may remain accessible on our website and in our catalogues after a sword has been sold, for reference and educational purposes. This is an important part of our archive and our contribution to the nihonto collecting community.

You may not reproduce, publish, distribute or exploit our photography, PDFs or written descriptions for commercial purposes without our prior written consent. Personal use – showing friends, family or fellow collectors – is of course absolutely fine.

If you require an exception to the above for any legitimate purpose, please contact us to discuss.

We sometimes hold swords at our studio in Tokyo on behalf of clients – for example, during the export registration process or while a custom koshirae project is underway. While every care is taken to store items securely, we cannot be held liable for loss or damage caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters (earthquake, typhoon, flooding), fire, or criminal acts directed against our premises.

Our studio has a security system installed. However, clients with items of exceptional value held at our premises are strongly encouraged to arrange their own insurance coverage for the duration of storage. Please contact us if you would like further information about the storage arrangements for your item.

All content on the Unique Japan website – including text, photographs, images, PDF documents, video and software – is the property of Marchforth International Limited and is protected by copyright law. You may use this content for personal, non-commercial purposes only. Reproduction, distribution or commercial use of any materials without our prior written permission is prohibited.

The “Unique Japan” name, logo and “Feel the History™” tagline are trademarks of Marchforth International Limited. Unauthorised use of these marks is not permitted.

These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from a purchase from Unique Japan shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Unique Japan is the trading name of Marchforth International Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong. Our UK trading operations are handled through Echizen Ltd, a company incorporated in England and Wales (registered March 2026).

Unique Japan is a licensed antique dealer in Japan. Our antiques licence (No.303291102398) is issued by Meguro City, Tokyo, and is held by Marchforth International Co., Ltd (株式会社), our Japanese operating company. We are a member of the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword).

By purchasing from Unique Japan, you confirm that you are of legal age to purchase such items in your country, and that the ownership and importation of antique edged weapons is lawful in your jurisdiction. You are solely responsible for verifying this. We will not knowingly ship to jurisdictions where such items are prohibited.

These terms were last updated: June 2026.