As always, there were crap ones and expensive ones. Same as everywhere. Also quite funny, the most expensive part, even today, of a katana from a Japanese smith is not the blade but all the other stuff.

IMHO, Katanas became or rather retained their religious status with Japan closing down and more or less freezing social development. The knighlty sowrd was somewhat replaced in that role in Europe with the introduction of firearms and the fall of Knights.