1941 IJA Weapons Prices in today's values

[Nick Komiya]

Here's an extract from an extensive price list of army weapons as of December 1941. Next to the Yen prices from 1941, I put what that Yen price translates into in 2017 currency values, adjusted by CPI (Consumer Price Index).

If you want to further calculate what that would have come to in 2017 $ and €, the average $ rate for 2017 was 111.19 Yen to the dollar and 125.17 Yen to the Euro.

That means that a Type 95 Sword would have cost €317 or $357 in 2017 money.

Or you could say 7 type 30 bayonets were a fair barter with a Type 14 Pistol back in 1941.

[ghp95134]

Hmmmmm .... I've done these types of comparisons before for wages and they still don't seem accurate to me. There was a chart showing the cost of bread and milk prices which might be a fair comparison if we figured in the cost of rice vice bread & milk.

In 1941 how much rice could be bought for ¥40.50; and what would that compare to in 2017? I'm on the run right now (Valentine's day ... Wife .... etc.) and can't research right now. But perhaps another willing partner could gin up some consumable comparisons??

Cheers,
-- Guy

[Nick Komiya]

The method I used is simply the official government economy CPI data used by news agencies, etc to convert historical GNP values, etc into todays currency values.

[Rescue190]

Interesting write up. Today it would still be a fair barter for 7 type 30 bayonets for a type 14 given conditions of bayonets are good IMHO.
John

[Nagoya10]

What is the difference between a Type 95 Gunto for Infantry versus one for Cavalry? I didn't know there were 2 service branch models of the Type 95.

[Nick Komiya]

The only possible answer to the two prices for the Type 95 is this. I assume "Cavalry" means the longer blade version cloned from the cavalry model of the Type 32 Sword. This distinction is even carried over into the 1944 issue of the price list. This cannot be the difference in leather, as these prices exclude leather, even for the Type 90 helmet cost shown.

Also, here is the CPI convertor that I used. This allows you to enter Yen values as far back as 1880 and convert it into values from any year up to 2017. The only concession is that it does not accept decimal values, so I had to round those figures up to the closest Yen. This is the kind of conversion historians do, for instance, to quote the building budget of the Yamato in today's money.

[DaveR]

I did a similar calculation for the 98, using the below chart for yen inflation. It's never going to be exact but I came up with a figure of over $1000 for a new made type 98 that adhered to the official costing.

[Alan M]

Thanks for this interesting thread Nick , it is now included into your Master Index , found in the " sticky " list at the top of the forum .

[Nick Komiya]

Memoir of a Gunto Dealer

In the previous post, I tried to relate wartime prices of weapons to today’s currency values, but today I offer you another measure of value that might be somewhat abstract, yet more true in a heart-wrenching way. I translated for you an article written by an Osaka Gunto dealer in a wartime publication.

But before that, let me give you some background.

Newly appointed army officers received a one-time lumpsum clothing allowance of 400 Yen (750,000 Yen in today’s money) with which he had to buy his complete kit, which included, not only his uniform, but sword, field glasses and pistol. And 1945 January's going rates for swords was 200 Yen for a traditional blade and 90 Yen for a machine-made Zoheito.

Assuming that you took a traditional blade and one each of the obligatory essentials from the catalog, the total is said to have reached 633.56 Yen. That, however, did not allow for any change of shirts or socks, so it quickly became double that cost when you accounted for a change of clothing. Thus an officer’s lumpsum allowance was in reality only about 1/3 of the total cost of his kit.

That is why these dramas unfolded.

Heart-wrenching Tales involving Guntos

It was back in 1937 that the Osaka Sword Club 大阪刀剣会 sponsored a 1 month sale of Guntos at the Takashimaya Department Store branches in Nagahori and Nankai, Osaka. Both events turned out to be a big crowd draw, and it was during these sales campaigns that I witnessed scenes where I could barely hold back tears of emotion.

We had selected swords primarily in the price range of 100 to 200 Yen (the equivalent of 187,000 to 375,000 in today’s Yen), because we judged that anything cheaper would not do well in view of the going prices in the current market. This price range was indeed spot on, but I did not realize that those prices would bring such drama.

For us dealers, 100 Yen was nothing remarkable as a price, but that was indeed not the kind of money a normal company employee or lower-middle class farmer could easily shell out.



It was a day after a certain local division had announced mobilization that a lady looking 65 or so came to us in company of a quiet young man about 27 years in age. They said they came from the deep mountains of Tanba.

After the two looked around the swords at our table, the old lady came up to me and bowed, as she said “My grandson is being called to duty in China in the service of the nation, and kitting him out with the necessities of a Gunto, fieldglasses and pistol is costing us quite a fortune. We were able to borrow money by pledging our farmland and that got us the other things, but we are still short of a Gunto, and the problem is that this is all we have left.” As she said this, she reached into the fold of her Kimono and gingerly pulled out a small paper wrap, which unwrapped, revealed a 100 Yen bill tightly folded into a tiny bundle, which she placed in my hand. “Please let my grandson have a Gunto that will help him serve the country”, she said, as she bowed again, while the young man gave me a sharp salute.

I had difficulty holding back tears welling up inside, but kept my composure and took them in front of a Mumei work of Sukesada 祏定 and explained in depth the attributes of that sword.

They were both looking into my eyes intently, trying to absorb it all. Then as the young man said “Thank you for the thorough introduction. Does it mean we could avail ourselves of this fine sword?”. I looked around, hearing murmurs that made me realize that a big crowd had gathered around us, and there were words of approval, congratulating the young man. I could no longer help myself, and gushing tears streaked my face.



Another time, a couple came up to me, and as I took them to be husband and wife, I addressed the man as “Goshujin”(Young Master), to which the woman shyly said with a smile, “He is actually my younger brother”. It was an embarrassing moment, but this actually helped to break the ice and it led to a friendly exchange on their purchase of a Gunto.

In the end, they narrowed it down to two choices. One was a Mumei work from a Seki smith costing 120 Yen (equivalent of 225,000 today), and the other a Mumei work of Kanesada 兼定, costing 180 Yen (equivalent of 338,000 today).

It looked like the sister was going to pay for it, but the brother seemed to object and after some back and forth whispering, the young man said with resolution, as he picked up the one for 120 Yen, “Sis, I’ll take this, This will do me just fine.” His sister stood there, searching his face, but when she seemed to understand what her brother was thinking, she lowered her gaze and quietly paid for the sword and they both left.

But 20 minutes later, both of them were back again. Standing in front of the Kanesada, with the sword they had just bought, an exchange ensued. “Of these two swords, which do you think is the best fit for my brother?”, she asked me. “Well, considering his height, I’d have to say the Kanesada. The sword you bought is 2.5 Shaku in length, but the Kanesada is 2.11 Shaku”, to which she asked further, “Which is sharper?”. I replied “Both are equally good at that, but it is true that Kanesada does have a longstanding reputation as a masterpiece 業物 in that regard.”, “You mean, Kanesada is the better choice, do you?”, “No, not necessarily. The sword you took also has an old Seki blade from the later years of what we call the Kotoh 古刀 period, so you can be sure it will not bend out of shape and it is really sharp.”.

This caused a whispering exchange between siblings and I overheard “Listen, take the Kanesada!”, “But, Sis!”, “No, I’m telling you not to worry about that”. Then the sister walked up to me to say, “ I am sorry to trouble you, Sir, but could we exchange this with the Kanesada, please?”, as she quickly fished out the difference of 60 Yen. Her young brother was looking at her with gratitude and affection beaming in his eyes. But she acted as if she noticed nothing, as she bowed to me and they both walked away. As I watched them go, I said to myself “What a loving sister he has.”



There was another similar case, but this time, between two brothers. The elder of the two was in a business suit, obviously a corporate employee and the younger man was in army uniform of a superior private of the medical corps. They were separately going through the Guntos, occasionally exchanging words. Then the older brother seemed to have settled on a Mumei work of Kiyomitsu 備前清光 of Bizen, while the young one seemed to settle on a Mumei work of Kanenori of Echizen 越前兼則 and they approached me with these swords in hand.

“My brother, says this sword, but I see what looks like rust. Will this really make a good Gunto?”, “That speck of rust won’t affect its sharpness or other aspects at all.”, I replied. The brothers discussed with each other for a while, after which the businessman brother approached me to ask, “I keep telling him that he’s better off with the Kiyomitsu, completely free of any blemishes, but which of these two do you think is better for use as a Gunto?”.

I explained how both were razor sharp and will almost never bend. “Is that so?” was followed by another exchange between brothers. “Brother, once on the battlefield, that kind of tiny fleck of rust becomes unavoidable.”, “That may be true, but I’m concerned what difference it makes to your spirit to already start out with a flaw, however minor.”. “Brother, thanks for your consideration, but I’m in no position to confess my feelings to you about that.”, “That is exactly what’s bugging me.” “Okay, brother, I would gratefully take this one.”, “Right, that’s it, then.”

It had thus been decided on the Kanenori. But then the older brother picked up the Kiyomitsu and put it to his brother's waist, moving his head left and right. “I’m terribly sorry for all this procrastination, but it’s not an easy decision, you see.”, “Not at all, Sir. Take your time, it is about a Gunto after all, not like buying something for 10 or 20 Yen.”

Then, as they finally settled for the Kanenori, the younger man took my sleeve and pulled me aside, away from his brother and with great hesitation asked me, “Can you not do something about the price?” As he directed a steady, deploring gaze at me, I knew that this young man was desperate about how this would set things back for his brother and thought nothing of losing his face by begging, if he could reduce his brother’s burden even by 1 Yen.

I could not help feeling that I wouldn’t even need any money, if I only could see this young man happily wearing this sword. As the two walked away with their purchase, I could hear another clerk beside me say, “That older brother had borrowed against his next bonus pay.” I nodded, in the understanding that indeed it must have been the case.



Next was a married couple. The handsome husband really looked sharp in his army infantry lieutenant’s uniform and his wife, who must have been 23 or so, was also a type you’d call pretty, somewhat on the chubbier side.

After they spent some time studying choices together, the wife pointed at me and said to the husband, “Honey, this gentleman will surely agree that this is the sword for you. Take this one.” “But…Look at the” he was saying, when she interrupted ,”Never mind that, Dear” and continued as she faced me “We’ll take this one, but could you please just give me an hour’s time to pick it up?”.

She faced her husband and said, “Honey, please wait here a while, and please don’t buy that other one.”, as she hurried away. The lieutenant remained standing there in silence right in front of that sword she chose for him. It was getting awkward, so I offered “there is actually a waiting room over there, if you like” to which he responded “Thank you, but no need” while he continued to stare at the sword.

The wife came hurrying back earlier than expected and said “So Honey, pick up the sword.” and I simply do not have the words to describe the range of emotional expressions crossing the husband’s face, as he looked down to meet hers.

I remained speechless as in a daze for a while after the couple’s departure, while a thought crossed my mind, “She must have talked an aunt or so back home into it.” Because the sword was nothing other than a Magoroku 孫六, costing as much as 380 Yen (equivalent of 712,000 today).

[MAP]

Thank you Nick for this memoir. I really enjoyed reading it. It really humanizes these items that we study and purchase.