Touken World Foundation

The Touken World Foundation (刀剣ワールド財団) is a general incorporated foundation in Japan, established on April 16, 2018, by Tokyu Corporation (東建コーポレーション株式会社). Its mission is to collect, preserve, and exhibit Japanese swords (日本刀), armor (甲冑), and other traditional crafts and fine arts, thereby protecting and promoting Japanese traditional culture. The foundation operates the Nagoya Touken Museum (名古屋刀剣博物館), also known as Nagoya Touken World (名古屋刀剣ワールド), located in Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. The museum houses a collection of approximately 500 swords, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, as well as about 50 suits of armor and 150 ukiyo-e prints. In addition to the physical museum, the foundation runs the virtual sword museum website "Touken World" (刀剣ワールド), which provides information on Japanese swords, armor, castles, and historical figures. The foundation also engages in publishing, video production, lectures, and historical tours. Its collection is based on swords and art collected over 40 years by Minoru Soda, the founder of Tokyu Corporation and representative director of the foundation. The foundation collaborates with other museums, lending items for exhibitions and co-hosting special displays. Through both museum and web activities, the foundation aims to create a place where everyone can enjoy encounters with Japanese culture.

The Touken World Foundation was established on April 16, 2018, by Tokyu Corporation, a major Japanese real estate and construction company. The foundation was created to collect, preserve, and exhibit Japanese swords, armor, and other traditional crafts and fine arts, with the aim of protecting Japanese traditional culture and contributing to its promotion and development. The foundation's collection is largely based on swords and art collected over 40 years by Minoru Soda, the founder of Tokyu Corporation and the foundation's representative director, as well as art owned by Tokyu Corporation. As of March 2022, the foundation held approximately 500 Japanese swords. In November 2018, the foundation launched the virtual sword museum website "Touken World" (刀剣ワールド), which provides information on Japanese swords, armor, castles, and historical figures. A sister site, "Touken World / Ukiyo-e" (刀剣ワールド／浮世絵), was later launched in June 2020, and "Touken World Castle" (刀剣ワールド 城) in July 2020. The foundation also operates physical museum facilities: the Nagoya Touken Museum (名古屋刀剣博物館), also known as Nagoya Touken World (名古屋刀剣ワールド), which opened in May 2024 in Naka-ku, Nagoya; the Touken Collection Nagoya Marunouchi (刀剣コレクション名古屋・丸の内) and the Touken Collection Kuwana Tado (刀剣コレクション桑名・多度). The Nagoya Touken Museum is located in the north building of Sakae Tower Hills, a luxury rental apartment building completed in February 2019 by Tokyu Corporation. The museum can display up to 200 swords at a time and features a collection of about 500 swords, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, as well as approximately 50 suits of armor and 150 ukiyo-e prints. The foundation has been active in lending its collection to other museums for exhibitions. Notable loans include the Kyoto National Museum's "Kyoto Swords: The Art of the Master Swordsmith" in September 2018, the Kuwana City Museum's "Muramasa II: Muramasa and the Five Traditions" in October 2018, and the Fukuoka City Museum's "Chikuzen Samonji: Masterpieces" in November 2018. In March 2019, the foundation acquired the National Treasure "Yuraku Kunitomo" (有楽来国光), a short sword attributed to the swordsmith Kunitomo and said to have been used by Oda Yurakusai (Oda Nagamasu), the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga. In January 2020, the foundation co-hosted a special exhibition with the Kyushu National Museum titled "Touken Hajime: The Touken World Foundation and the Kyushu National Museum's Masterpieces." The foundation also published its first book, a mook titled "Encounters between Great Generals and Famous Swords: Akechi Mitsuhide and the Three Great Heroes" (名将と名刀との邂逅 明智光秀と三英傑), in October 2020. In February 2021, it began online sales of museum shop goods, followed by sales on Rakuten Market in August 2021. The foundation continues to engage in various activities including research, publications, video production, lectures, and historical tours.

• Touken World Foundation established by Tokyu Corporation.

• Conducted the "Tado Shrine Sword Dedication Forging Tour".

• Lent swords to the Kyoto National Museum exhibition "Kyoto Swords: The Art of the Master Swordsmith".

• Lent 17 swords, including 3 Muramasa blades, to the Kuwana City Museum exhibition "Muramasa II: Muramasa and the Five Traditions". Also lent Katsushika Hokusai's "Kato Kiyomasa" to the Sword Museum.

• Launched the virtual sword museum website "Touken World". Lent swords to the Fukuoka City Museum exhibition "Chikuzen Samonji: Masterpieces".

• Acquired the National Treasure "Yuraku Kunitomo".

• Co-hosted the "Tado Sword Special Exhibition" with Tado Shrine. TV program "Toushou Damashii Tado" aired on TV Aichi.

• Launched the website for Nagoya Touken Museum "Nagoya Touken World".

• Started the "Three Great Spears Replica Production Project".

• Held the collaborative special exhibition "Touken Hajime: The Touken World Foundation and the Kyushu National Museum's Masterpieces" with the Kyushu National Museum. Lent items to the "Kirin ga Kuru" Gifu Taiga Drama Museum.

• Opened "Touken World Nagoya Marunouchi Annex / Sword and Armor Museum (Tokyu Headquarters)" and "Touken World Kuwana Tado Annex".

• Launched the virtual sword museum "Touken World / Ukiyo-e".

• Launched "Touken World Castle".

• Renewed the website for Nagoya Touken Museum "Nagoya Touken World".

• Published first book, the mook "Encounters between Great Generals and Famous Swords: Akechi Mitsuhide and the Three Great Heroes". Lent swords to the special exhibition "Umetada: The Hero of the Momoyama Sword World".

• Held the "[Nagoya Touken World] Site Opening Commemoration 2nd / Sword Cosplay Photo Contest".

• Started online sales of museum shop goods.

• Conducted the Nagoya City Mizuho Lifelong Learning Center course "Nagoya Studies: Swords and Nagoya".

• Started online sales of museum shop goods on Rakuten Market.

• Lent swords to the Kyoto Prefectural Tango Local History Museum exhibition "Tama no Koshi" and the Kuwana City Museum special exhibition "Honda Tadakatsu and Kuwana".

• Lent swords to the Sword Museum exhibition "50th Anniversary of the Special Important Sword Designation System: Japanese Swords, Masterpieces Exhibition".

• Nagoya Touken Museum "Nagoya Touken World" opened.

A cultural foundation and museum dedicated to preserving and promoting Japanese sword and traditional culture, operating both physical museums and extensive web resources.

• Nagoya Touken Museum (Nagoya Touken World)

  A museum in Naka-ku, Nagoya, displaying up to 200 swords, about 50 suits of armor, and 150 ukiyo-e prints. It houses a collection of about 500 swords, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.

• Touken World website

  A virtual sword museum website providing information on Japanese swords, armor, castles, and historical figures.

• Touken World / Ukiyo-e

  A sister website explaining ukiyo-e prints.

• Touken World Castle

  A website about Japanese castles.

• Mook: Encounters between Great Generals and Famous Swords: Akechi Mitsuhide and the Three Great Heroes

  The foundation's first publication, published by Suzuya Publishing in October 2020.

1. 1刀剣ワールド財団についてmeihaku.jp
2. 2施設のご案内meihaku.jp
3. 3美術刀剣・武具の管理meihaku.jp
4. 4刀剣ワールドについてmeihaku.jp
5. 5刀剣ワールド財団 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
6. 6Touken World Foundationwikidata.org