What is the WWII Japanese Type 98 Army Shin Gunto and what makes it significant?
Updated Feb 2026
The Type 98 Army Shin Gunto is a WWII Japanese military sword format that represents one of the most historically significant Japanese blade forms of the twentieth century. The Shin Gunto - literally 'new military sword' - was introduced in the 1930s as part of the Japanese military's effort to restore the tradition of officers carrying swords, which had been discontinued in favor of Western-style military dress. The Type 98, introduced in 1938, standardized a curved blade in traditional katana style with military-specific fittings: a distinctive metal handle with a wrapped ray skin grip, an army brown leather scabbard with metal mounts, and an army star or chrysanthemum design on the tsuba. The Type 98 Shin Gunto in 1065 carbon steel is a significant historical replica for collectors interested in the intersection of traditional Japanese sword culture and twentieth-century military history - the format represents the last expression of the samurai sword tradition within the Japanese military context.