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''Kusanagi no tsurugi'', or the "Grasscutter Sword," is one of the three Japanese [[Imperial Regalia]], along with the mirror ''[[Yata no kagami]]'' and the jewel ''[[Yasakani no magatama]]''.

''Kusanagi no tsurugi'', or the "Grasscutter Sword," is one of the three Japanese [[Imperial Regalia]], along with the mirror ''[[Yata no kagami]]'' and the jewel ''[[Yasakani no magatama]]''.

The sword is said to have been held by the Imperial family ever since, according to the earliest Japanese creation myths, the storm god [[Susa no O no Mikoto]], brother of the sun goddess [[Amaterasu]], slayed the demon serpent [[Yamata no Orochi]] and discovered the sword within the serpent's body.

According to the earliest Japanese creation myths, the storm god [[Susa no O no Mikoto]], brother of the sun goddess [[Amaterasu]], slayed the demon serpent [[Yamata no Orochi]] and discovered the sword within the serpent's body. The sword is said to have remained in the possession of the Imperial family ever since. It was the earliest of the three imperial regalia to be used directly in imperial succession ceremonies, and to be directly associated with legitimacy of rulership. A replica, and not the original sword, was used in accession ceremonies since ancient times. Beginning in the 6th century, accession ceremonies came to feature the Sacred Jewel (supposedly the original) and a replica of the Sacred Mirror as well.<ref>Evelyn Rawski, ''Early Modern China and Northeast Asia: Cross-Border Perspectives'', Cambridge University Press (2015), 118.</ref>

The original ''Kusanagi'' sword is said to have been housed permanently at [[Atsuta Shrine]] since the reign of the legendary [[Emperor Keiko|Emperor Keikô]] (r. [[71]]-[[130]]). However, from the [[Meiji period]] onwards, a replica has always been kept close to the [[Emperor]], and in the Meiji period up through 1945, the emperor carried this replica on his person whenever he left the Imperial Palace for an overnight (or longer) trip.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 258n49.</ref>

The original ''Kusanagi'' sword is said to have been housed permanently at [[Atsuta Shrine]] since the reign of the legendary [[Emperor Keiko|Emperor Keikô]] (r. [[71]]-[[130]]). However, from the [[Meiji period]] onwards, a replica has always been kept close to the [[Emperor]], and in the Meiji period up through 1945, the emperor carried this replica on his person whenever he left the Imperial Palace for an overnight (or longer) trip.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 258n49.</ref>