Gendaitō (現代刀) – Lit. “modern sword.” Traditionally, the term gendaitō is applied to swords made in the traditional way from after the end of the shinshintō era, which is marked by haitōrei issued in 1876, to the of WWII. When sword production resumed in 1953, i.e. after the ban on sword production issued by the allied forces, a new term was introduced for the newly made swords, namely shinsakutō (新作刀). However, shinsakutō means as indicated “newly made sword” and as this distinction took place more than half a century ago, there is the tendency among experts and collectors to “extend” the term gendaitō and apply it also to swords made in more or less the decades after WWII. But following the latter approach, no exact definition has yet been made to tell until when the term gendaitō applies and when the term shinsakutō should be used.