[Vigilanteman]

If these swords are typical of what they sell in souvenir shops in Japan (and I suspect they are), they look really cool and make a nice display, usually a tsurugi (long sword), katana (short sword) and sometimes a dagger.

They have no edge and the steel is porous (non forged or hardended)-- meaning that if you actually tried to behead someone with it, the would-be victim would end up with a bruise on their neck and you'd end up with a broken display sword.

[arderkrag]

Ah. Never cared for non-functional weapons.