In Japan, not even the magic powers of Harry Potter, or the House of Gryffindor, are enough to evade the country’s strict weapons laws.
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Replica swords from the Harry Potter franchise, sold by the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo during its popular “Making of Harry Potter” exhibit, are being recalled.
The company issued a product notice late last month regarding the 34-inch long decorative display swords, which were described as “an authentic recreation of Godric Gryffindor’s sword, as seen in the Harry Potter movie series,” and “affixed to a wood display plaque.” The English statement said “a distribution issue” was behind the recall, while the Japanese statement added that “it has come to our attention that there is some concern” over the product.
Japanese media, including public broadcaster NHK, said that investigators had found that the replica swords were sharp enough that they could breach the country’s weapons control laws.
While the studio no longer sells the replica swords, which were available for purchase from May 2023 to April 2024 at the exhibition, 351 were sold at the price of 30,000 yen ($200) and are still popping up on resale apps, Asahi Shinbum reported.
The company apologized to customers for the inconvenience and said anyone who had purchased the product should contact them for details “including logistics and refund.” The studio did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of their office hours.
In the fictional Harry Potter series, the sword belonged to one of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for whom one of the school’s houses was named. The 1,000-year-old, goblin-made sword, which could only be summoned by those who demonstrated true courage and bravery, plays a key role in a number of events crucial to the story.
Japan has some of the world’s strictest weapons laws and some of the world’s lowest rates of crime and violence. The country’s Firearms and Swords Control Law, enacted in 1958, prohibits the carrying of blades longer than two inches, and requires any replicas sharp enough to be classified as weapons to be registered with the authorities.