Imperial Regalia of Japan: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 08:53, 10 January 2022

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 status of these legendary treasures is unknown as they are intentionally kept from public view to symbolize authority.

Legend

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.^[2] These treasures were eventually said to be passed down to Emperor Jimmu, who was the first Emperor of Japan and was also Ninigi's great-grandson.^[3] 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 the cave, at which point she saw her own reflection and was startled enough that the gods could 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.^[4]

At the conclusion of the Genpei War in 1185, the six-year-old Emperor Antoku and the Regalia were under the control of the Taira clan. They were present when the Taira were defeated by the rival Minamoto clan at the Battle of Dan-no-ura, which was fought on boats in the shallow Kanmon Straits. The child emperor's grandmother threw herself, the boy, the sword, and the jewel into the sea to avoid capture. The mirror was recovered, but according to the main account of the battle, a Minamoto soldier who tried to force open the box containing it was struck blind. The jewel was recovered shortly afterwards by divers, but the sword was lost.^[5] There are a number of medieval texts relating to the loss of the sword, which variously contended that a replica was forged afterwards, or that the lost sword itself was a replica, or the sword was returned to land by supernatural forces.^[6] The importance of the Imperial Regalia to Japan is evident from the declarations made by Emperor Hirohito to Kōichi Kido on 25 and 31 July 1945 at the end of World War II, when he ordered the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan to protect them "at all costs".^[7]

Role

Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine has been a central element of the enthronement ceremony. This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition seen only by the Emperor and certain priests. While their actual locations are not confirmed, it is commonly thought that the sword is located at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the jewel is located at the Three Palace Sanctuaries in Kōkyo (the Imperial Palace in Tokyo), and the mirror is located at the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture.^[8] Their first post-World War II enthronement appearance occurred during the accession and enthronement of Akihito in 1989 and 1990. Aside from their presence during the abdication of Akihito on 30 April 2019, their latest appearance occurred during the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. He formally took possession of the regalia in a brief ceremony on 1 May 2019.^[9]^[10]^[11] The items themselves were never revealed during these public occasions as they remained shrouded from view in packages or boxes.

When these items are not being used for their ceremonial purpose, their supposed locations are kept off limits to the public.^[12] There are also no known photographs or drawings of the Imperial Regalia due to their protected status. Mikael Adolphson a professor at Cambridge University stated that this hidden strategy "adds mystique, and thus, authority, to the objects." He also added that Shinto religious tradition is "especially protective" of its symbols.^[11] There is a general reluctance in Japan to allow a historical analysis of the regalia as such an assessment could potentially "de-mythologize" the items.^[11]

Cultural references

The phrase "Three Sacred Treasures" is retrospectively applied to durable goods of modern Japan. During a policy address in 2003, then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said that during the mid-1950s and mid-1960s, the "three sacred treasures" for durable goods were the washing machine, refrigerator, and the black and white television, and the automobile, air conditioner, and color television set from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.^[13]^[11]

Alvin and Heidi Toffler's Powershift use them to symbolize the three kinds of power they distinguish: force (sword), wealth (jewel) and knowledge (mirror).^[14]

In Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, a popular Japanese manga and anime franchise, the three talismans of the Outer Senshi are stylized as a mirror, sword and jewel. When brought together, they manifest the Holy Grail.^[15]

In the popular King of Fighters video game series, the regalia form the icons of the three sacred treasures of the Kusuangi, Yagami and Kagura families.

References

^ ミニ講話宮司のいい話 (in Japanese).
^ Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.
^ Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.
^ Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.
^ Turnbull, Stephen (2006) Samurai: The World of the Warrior, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1841769516 (pp. 33-38)
^ Selinger, Vyjayanthi R. (2013) Authorizing the Shogunate: Ritual and Material Symbolism in the Literary Construction of Warrior Order, Brill Academic Publishers, ISBN 978-9004248106 (pp. 114-118)
^ Kido Koichi nikii, Tokyo, Daigaku Shuppankai, 1966, pp.1120–21.
^ Sansom, George (1961). A History of Japan 1334–1615. Stanford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0804705259.
^ McCurry, Justin (30 April 2019). "Japan's emperor Akihito abdicates with message of love". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
^ McCurry, Justin (1 May 2019). "Japan welcomes new emperor Naruhito as Reiwa era begins". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Oscar Holland & Chie Kobayashi (21 October 2019). "Japan's ancient and mysterious royal regalia". CNN. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
^ "Searching for the Imperial Regalia of Japan". All About Japan. 2 November 2017.
^ "General Policy Speech by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the 156th Session of the Diet". Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. 31 January 2003. Retrieved 5 September 2017. (Structural Reform in Lifestyle) From the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, washing machines, refrigerators, and black and white televisions were called the "three sacred treasures" that symbolized the new lifestyle; from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s they were automobiles, air conditioners, and color televisions.
^ Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century (1990), Bantam Books, Alvin and Heidi Toffler, ISBN 0-553-29215-3.
^ Takeuchi, Naoko (2012). Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. Vol. Vol. 7 Act 32. Kodansha Comics. ISBN 978-1612620039. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)

[Source1-1] ミニ講話宮司のいい話 (in Japanese).

[2] Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.

[3] Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.

[4] Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Japanese Mythology A to Z. Infobase Publishing. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-1-4381-2802-3.

[5] Turnbull, Stephen (2006) Samurai: The World of the Warrior, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1841769516 (pp. 33-38)

[6] Selinger, Vyjayanthi R. (2013) Authorizing the Shogunate: Ritual and Material Symbolism in the Literary Construction of Warrior Order, Brill Academic Publishers, ISBN 978-9004248106 (pp. 114-118)

[7] Kido Koichi nikii, Tokyo, Daigaku Shuppankai, 1966, pp.1120–21.

[Sansom-8] Sansom, George (1961). A History of Japan 1334–1615. Stanford University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0804705259.

[9] McCurry, Justin (30 April 2019). "Japan's emperor Akihito abdicates with message of love". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 April 2019.

[10] McCurry, Justin (1 May 2019). "Japan welcomes new emperor Naruhito as Reiwa era begins". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2019.

[CNN-11] Oscar Holland & Chie Kobayashi (21 October 2019). "Japan's ancient and mysterious royal regalia". CNN. Retrieved 26 November 2021.

[12] "Searching for the Imperial Regalia of Japan". All About Japan. 2 November 2017.

[13] "General Policy Speech by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the 156th Session of the Diet". Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. 31 January 2003. Retrieved 5 September 2017. (Structural Reform in Lifestyle) From the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, washing machines, refrigerators, and black and white televisions were called the "three sacred treasures" that symbolized the new lifestyle; from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s they were automobiles, air conditioners, and color televisions.

[Powershift-14] Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century (1990), Bantam Books, Alvin and Heidi Toffler, ISBN 0-553-29215-3.

[15] Takeuchi, Naoko (2012). Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. Vol. Vol. 7 Act 32. Kodansha Comics. ISBN 978-1612620039. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 * In ''[[Sailor Moon|Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon]]'', a popular Japanese manga and anime franchise, the three talismans of the Outer Senshi are stylized as a mirror, sword and jewel. When brought together, they manifest the [[Holy Grail]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon|last=Takeuchi|first=Naoko|publisher=Kodansha Comics|year=2012|isbn=978-1612620039|volume=Vol. 7 Act 32}}</ref>
+* In the popular ''[[King of Fighters]]'' video game series, the regalia form the icons of the three sacred treasures of the Kusuangi, Yagami and Kagura families.
 ==See also==