I found a Bizen Osafune Sukesada iaito for 86,900 yen on Amazon, so I bought it.
I’ll use it as a sword that carries on the spirit of the Bizen Osafune Sukesada kaiken—a family heirloom that played a major role during the Incident. Without the scabbard, it weighs 800 grams and is easy to handle. Since it’s not a real sword, I don’t need a registration certificate to carry it, and I won’t accidentally cut my finger.
Since it can be taken overseas, I think it would be possible to run a business selling iaido swords on international online auction sites.
Motivated by the desire to sell a kaiken I made myself overseas, I took introductory swordsmithing classes, earned my first dan in iaido, and even published *The World of CKOY / Mizan Kiruna*—but in the end, I had to give up on the idea because simply possessing a kaiken is illegal (though my family’s heirloom is a cultural property, so possessing it is legal), exporting a real sword overseas is prohibited, and taking one out of the country requires diplomatic immunity.
Given that my words are now reaching an international audience, I’d like to tap into the latent potential of swords once again as a means to monetize this reach. Presumably, if I’m not dealing with Japanese customers and limit sales to physical stores and auction sites, I won’t need an antique dealer’s license.
Conclusion: I’m going to start a business selling iaido swords overseas.
youtube：jleoyamato