Are Japanese Katanas Legal in Canada?

With so many movies, TV shows, anime series, and every other form of media portraying the most epic sword fight scenes, you may be on the hunt for an authentic Japanese katana yourself. But are Japanese Katanas legal in Canada? Let’s find out!

Canadian Law On Carrying Japanese Katana 

In Canada, there are no restrictions against owning swords in Canada. Be it Japanese Katana swords, sabers, medieval arming swords, tulwars, Chinese Dao, or whatever, you can own them with no problem as long as you’re 18 years old or more. 

If you want to buy an authentic katana, all you need to do is fill out the additional paperwork to ship it outside of Japan. Of course, make sure to find out everything you need to do at the Canadian custom. 

Should You Have A License For Owning A Japanese Katana? 

No form of the sword is considered a prohibited weapon in Canada. Canadian laws don’t consider Katana or Japanese style-swords as “weapons” per se as they do so with firearms. So unlike firearms, it’s not illegal to purchase or possess katana swords without first getting their license.

If you wish to custom katana Canada, you can do it without needing to go through any hassles to get a proper license. You can simply walk into one of the numerous katana stores in Canada or order a custom one online to own one by simply paying for it. 

Can You Carry A Japanese c In Public In Canada? 

There’s no law against owning and carrying around swords and knives in Canada as long as the design is not prohibited. So even if you carry around a katana on the streets, you should face no problem. 

However, do take note that carrying around a katana is fine only as long as your intention for purchasing and carrying it around is to use it simply as a tool. Remember Canadian Law does not permit anyone to carry any form of a blade, let alone a katana for self-defense. 

Conclusion

Owning a badass customized katana is a dream many of us wish to fulfill. But whether it’s legal or not in Canada may be the only obstacle that’s stopping you from getting one. I hope this article has given you all the answers that you were looking for! Thank you for reading.

Photo by Jermaine Ulinwa from Pexels