weapon

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi

By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.

Description

Sword from Orochi's tail

The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki tell how Susanoo slays the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi in Izumo and draws Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi from the tail, then presents it to Amaterasu. The Nihon Shoki later names it Kusanagi, "grass-cutter," after Yamato Takeru slashes the grass to escape a burning field. It is one of the three imperial regalia. Atsuta Shrine holds the tradition of housing it; the blade is not put on view. Court chronicle of the eighth century, not a folk sword-in-the-stone, and not a public museum piece.

Primary Sources

“When he cut the serpent's middle tail, the edge of his sword was nicked. He split the tail and found a great sword. He called it Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi and presented it to Amaterasu.”
Kojiki (Susanoo and Yamata no Orochi)(712 CE)

Powers & Abilities

Wind ControlGrass CuttingImperial AuthoritySerpent-Slaying