Sword of Gryffindor Recalled in Japan Due to Breaking Weapons Law

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, it’s likely that you have some pieces of Potter merchandise stored throughout your home, with some of the more hardcore fans getting their hands on rare, collectible items. However, recently, replicas of Godric Gryffindor’s sword from the Harry Potter films have been recalled in Japan due to a violation of the country’s weapons laws.

The full-sized replicas measure 86 centimeters and are mounted on a wooden plaque. They were sold by Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo between May 2023 and April 2024. When being sold at the Studio Tour, they were marketed as a collectible item, but just this November, Japanese authorities discovered the replicas were sharp enough to be considered real swords under the country’s laws.

According to Japan’s Firearms and Swords Control Law, any sharp objects classified as swords must be registered unless they are for training or display purposes and cannot be sharpened. In Japan, it is illegal to carry knives longer than six centimeters, with the punishment being up to two years in prison. 

Harry Potter holding the Sword of Gryffindor in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”

Over 350 of the Sword of Gryffindor replicas were sold at Tokyo’s Studio Tour. Priced at 30,000 yen (approximately $200), the swords were a popular collectible piece of merchandise among Potter fans.

Warner Bros. Studios Japan has issued a recall notice for the sword, citing a “distribution issue” and requesting that anyone who owns or bought one should get in contact with the company for “necessary action including logistics and refund.”

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo opened in 2023 and is the first attraction of its kind in Asia. It is the largest indoor Harry Potter experience in the world, spanning an impressive 30,000 square meters and featuring props, costumes, and sets from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.