Three Sacred Treasures

This is the imperial regalia of Japan. They consist of: the sword (Kusanagi no Tsurugi), the mirror (Yata no Kagami), & the jewel (Yasakani no Magatama).

They represent the 3 main virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), & benevolence (the jewel).

The historical status of the Sacred Treasures isn’t known. The treasures are kept from public view, intentionally, to symbolize authority.

According to legends, these treasures were brought to Earth by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line. When his grandma Amaterasu, the sun goddess, sent him to pacify Japan.

These treasures were eventually said to be passed down to Emperor Jimmu, who was the 1st Emperor of Japan & Ninigi’s great-grandson.

Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor’s divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu. This confirms his legitimacy as the paramount ruler of Japan. The 3 Treasures are a symbol that the Emperor should unite the ethnic groups without discrimination.

When Amaterasu hid in a cave from her, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, plunging the world into darkness, the goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto hung the mirror & jewels outside the cave & lured her out of hiding.

When she came out of the cave, Amaterasu was so startled by her reflection in the mirror that it gave the gods an opportunity to get her the rest of the way out of the cave.

Susanoo later gave Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, to Amaterasu as a token of apology. Susanoo got the sword from the body of an 8-headed serpent, Yamata no Orochi.

The Imperial Regalia (3 Sacred Treasures) are VERY important. Emperor Hirohito told Koichi Kido on July 35 & 31, 1945 (at the end of WWII), the Emperor ordered the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan to protect them “at all costs.”

When the Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces got to Japan, Emperor Hirohito’s greatest fear was that the 3 Sacred Treasures would go to the enemy. The Emperor even expressed his readiness to jump into the sea with the treasures & die, if it would come to that.

Since 690, the presentation of these 3 things to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine has been the main event of the enthronement ceremony, or coronation. This ceremony isn’t public. Also these items are traditionally seen only by the Emperor & certain priests.

Their individual locations aren’t actually known. It’s thought that the sword is located at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the jewel’s at the 3 Palace Sanctuaries in Kokyo (the Imperial Palace in Tokyo), & the mirror is at the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture.

Their 1st post-WWII enthronement ceremony appearance happened during the ascension & enthronement of Akihito in 1989 & 1990. Except for their presence during the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. He formally took possession of the regalia in a brief ceremony of May 1, 2019.

The Treasures themselves were never seen during these public occasions. They were shrouded from view in boxes or packages. When the Treasures aren’t performing their ceremonial purposes, their alleged locations are off-limits to the public at large.

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Title: Snow in Yuki Shrine

Artist: Takeji Asano

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