19 Astonishing Facts

The swords made by the Japanese are called Shinken, literally translated, it means real sword. The sword is "real" because it is an actual sharpened blade. Such a blade can be used for combat practice or for cutting. 

A blade that is not "real' would be an iaito or mogito, which is used only for practice and is not sharpened. Currently, there are 250 swordsmiths certified by the Japanese Swordsmith Association. 

According to Japanese law, these swordsmiths are only allowed to make 24 swords a year. These swordsmiths are highly skilled and each sword demands a large amount of time and effort to create. With all of these limitations, it’s no surprise that a Shinken comes at a high cost. 

At the lower end of cost, you might be able to get one for $6000. Since Shinken are so expensive they are often collected, rather than used. Antique Shinken swords are never used, because their value makes the idea of using them ridiculous. Instead, a martial arts expert might get a sword from China as sort of a knock-off Shinken that can actually be used. 

(Source)