UC Japanese Literature 2025: Items for Kojiki

One of the main elements of the Kojiki is the description of the Japanese imperial regalia: mirror, sword (called Kusanagi), and jewel (magatama). A short description of the regalia from Wikipedia:

The Three Sacred Treasures (三種の神器, Sanshu no Jingi/Mikusa no Kamudakara) are the imperial regalia of Japan and consist of the sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi (草薙劍), the mirror Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡), and the jewel Yasakani no Magatama (八尺瓊勾玉). They represent the three primary virtues: valour (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel).^[1] The actual historical status of these legendary treasures is unknown as they are intentionally kept from public view to symbolize authority.

Representations of the regalia are used in masakaki in many Shinto rituals.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Legend

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According to legend, these treasures were brought to Earth by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line, when his grandmother, the sun goddess Amaterasu, sent him to pacify Japan.^[5] These treasures were eventually said to be passed down to Emperor Jimmu, who was the first Emperor of Japan and Ninigi's great-grandson.^[6] Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, confirming his legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan. When Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo-no-Mikoto, thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto hung the mirror and jewels outside the cave and lured her out of hiding. Upon emerging from the cave, Amaterasu was so startled by her reflection in the mirror that it gave the gods an opportunity to extract her. Susanoo later presented the sword Kusanagi to Amaterasu as a token of apology; he had obtained it from the body of an eight-headed serpent, Yamata no Orochi.^[7]