Book cover of 'Swords of the Emperor' with a red and white design on a white background
Open book titled 'Swords of the Emperor' with illustrations and text on a white background
Open book displaying illustrations of swords and artillery pieces on a white background
Open book displaying illustrations of swords on a white background
Open book displaying images of swords on a white background
Book titled 'Emperor' with gold illustrations on a white background
Map of Japan with different regions highlighted in various colors on a white background.
Open book showing a portrait of a man in formal attire with text on a white background
Open book showing images of swords on a white background
Open book showing illustrations of swords and armor on a white background
Open book showing illustrations of coronation swords with detailed designs on a white background.
Royal Armouries Assistant Curator of Arms and Armour, Scott Hurst, with the Headstamp Swords of the Emperor book in the museum shop

Swords of the Emperor (Standard Edition)

£120

Swords of the Emperor: A Guide to the Identification of Imperial Japanese Swords, 1873 – 1945 is a comprehensive reference work examining a little-studied period in the Japanese sword-making tradition.

Japan is internationally renowned for its traditional swords, but comparatively little has been written about the swords of the Imperial period, which include both traditional, hand-made examples and modern, machine-made types. After Japan was ‘opened’ to the West in the 19th century, a period of rapid modernization saw the adoption of European-style military arms, uniforms, and accoutrements. This was also reflected in changes to military swords, which closely echoed Western designs—albeit with a Japanese twist—until a period of resurgent nationalism in the 1930s that continued through the Second World War. Swords of the Emperor follows the evolution of Japanese military, police, diplomatic, and court swords throughout this fascinating, complex period.

With 592 pages, Swords of the Emperor illustrates more than 220 swords with more than 2,000 original photographs, supplemented by archival material and original illustrations. In addition to those swords prescribed by uniform regulations for the armed services and civil service corps, the book also examines little-known examples, such as the 1873 Japanese Marine sword and the Gensuitō (Marshal’s sword) gifted to King George V in 1918. While the book is primarily intended as an identification and reference guide for collectors, curators, and researchers, enthusiasts will find much to enjoy in this beautiful, lavishly illustrated volume.

  • Page count: 592
  • 7.5" wide by 10" tall (approx.)
  • Commercial quality, section sewn binding which allows the book to lay flat
  • Full colour prints on premium quality paper stock
  • Foil stamped faux leather hardcover
  • Ribbon page marker
  • Printed in the United States of America

Curator Pick

Selected by Scot Hurst, Assistant Curator of Arms and Armour at the Royal Armouries Leeds, as one of his top picks.

More information View images

We process orders daily, Monday to Friday. Excluding Bank Holidays. 

UK

UK Delivery

Excluding Swords, Daggers, Crossbows and Flintlocks - See UK Age Check Delivery
Collect instore (Leeds Museum) - FREE
Collect within 7 days
UK Standard 3-5 Working Days - £4.99
Free on orders over £60
UK Express 1-2 Working Days - £6.99

UK Age Check Delivery

For replica Swords, Daggers, Crossbows and Flintlocks
UK Age Check 3-5 Working Days - £8
Free on orders over £200
UK Age Check Express 1-2 Working Days - £20

 

Please ensure that someone is available at the delivery address to receive your order. Any undelivered or uncollected parcels will be returned to sender. We will automatically issue a refund for all products once they have been received back at the museum, however, shipping is non-refundable.

18+ Age Verification

All sales of replicas and alcohol require age verification. You will be asked for proof of age at point of delivery.

Collect in store

  • Collections can be made from the shop at Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds during opening hours.
  • You will be notified via email once your order is ready for collection.
  • Once you receive this notification, we will hold your order for 30 days.
  • Please bring your order confirmation and ID that matches the name on the order.
  • Limited short stay, road-side parking is available on Clarence Road or Citipark operate the nearby Leeds Dock multi-storey car park. Please note that parking charges may apply.

Pre-orders

All items in orders containing a pre-order product will be shipped together when the pre-order product is available for dispatch. Please check the pre-order product page for further updates. 

*Free UK Delivery

Free UK Delivery applies to orders over £60, excluding items eligible for the Age Check shipping service (swords, daggers, flintlocks and crossbows). For those items excluded from the £60 offer, the free shipping threshold is set to £200. 

International Shipping

Europe

0-2kg - £7.95
2kg+ - £22.95
International

Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout based on destination and weight.

Please see the international section below for further detail and updates on shipping to the USA and Canada. 


USA

22/08/2025 - We are temporarily unable to ship to the USA however we are working hard to get this resolved as soon as we can. Please check back for updates.

Rest of the World

Please be advised that you are responsible for any import duty that may be charged on delivery of your order. If you are unsure, we advise you to check with your own customs and excise department before placing an order.

The estimated delivery time for Europe, USA and Canada is 7-10 working days and 10-14 working days for rest of the world, however this is not guaranteed. 

Restrictions

Please note that some products are not available to ship outside of the UK. A full list can be found on the Restricted Items page. Orders placed with a non-UK delivery address that include a restricted item may be subject to cancellation and a refund will be issued. If you are unsure, please contact us before ordering.

Contact us

You can find all the ways to contact us on our Contact Us page

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