We recently traveled to Kamakura to visit a souvenir shop called Sankaido to take a look at their replica of Kenshin’s reverse-blade sword from Rurouni Kenshin. Sankaido is not your average souvenir shop though. The inside of the shop is lined with countless weapons. The sight is enough to make any cosplayer or sword collector drool. Unfortunately though, the shop doesn’t take mail orders. According to the shop owner, “When you talk about something like a katana or sword, you really have to see it for yourself and be able to hold it in order to tell if the quality is good or bad.” Even though they are only replicas, the quality is outstanding. If you want one though, you’ll have to come to Kamakura.
Sankaido has much more than just the reverse-blade sword from Rurouni Kenshin, they have weapons of all kinds that draw in collectors and fans from all over. When asked when they began selling katanas and swords, the shop owner replied, “We moved to this location the year after the great Kanto earthquake of 1923. It was at that time that we began selling them.” We were surprised to learn that the shop had such a long history. Of course, at that time, the shop owner hadn’t been born yet. However, because he inherited the DNA of the previous shop owners, becoming a sword collector was in his blood.
The shop owner went on to talk about the quality of his merchandise as well as his own collection: “I only sell items that I would want to have myself, so everything is first picked by me. Since I’m a collector, if I find something that has even the slightest flaw, I don’t sell it in my shop. Also, not everything that we have here is for sale; many items on display are from my own collection. Of course though, I want to be able to show them off!” Among his collection, he also has many items that he has crafted himself. One look at his shop and you’ll agree: he is the textbook example of a collector.
Sankaido is often frequented by Japanese collectors and cosplayers as well as a great number of overseas tourists. They come not just due to their fascination with his merchandise, but also to hear the stories that this otaku shop owner has to tell. For those of you who are overseas, make sure to visit Kamakura when you come to Japan. Even if Kamakura isn’t on your itinerary, swing by before you leave to try out all the weapons that Sankaido has to offer. No matter which sword you end up falling in love with, heed our advice: don’t try to stow it in your carry on! Make sure to properly check it so you don’t end up being mistaken for an international samurai!
Sankaido Official Page:
http://www1.kamakuranet.ne.jp/sankaido/ (Japanese)
Sankaido Location Map:
http://goo.gl/maps/sm6cC