Japanese
Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi
草薙剣 (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi)
Cuts the grass by itself and turns back fire.
WeaponFirst recorded 712
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Photograph: A straight single-edged Japanese sword blade (chokutō) of the seventh century or earlier. Only the long, straight steel blade survives, with patches of rust.
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3,000 × 1,581 PX3000×1581
ArchiveJapanese · Weapon
Totsuka no Tsurugi
十拳剣
A great sword ten fists long, which cut the eight-headed serpent to pieces.
- Owner
- Susanoo, god of storms
- Maker
- Unknown
- First record
- Kojiki712
- Gallery
- Japanese
Notes on the photograph 3
Story
Totsuka means "ten fists long." Many gods in the Kojiki carry such swords, but the most famous is Susanoo's.
Susanoo cut to pieces with this sword the great serpent Yamata-no-Orochi as it lay drunk. But when he cut the middle tail the blade chipped. Slitting open the tail he found another sword within, which was later called Kusanagi.
Susanoo's sword is said to have been enshrined at Isonokami Shrine and elsewhere under the name of "the sword that slew the Orochi."
The object in the photo
The photograph shows Blade for a Straight Single-Edged Sword (Chokutō)(Japanese, 7th century or earlier), a real museum object that evokes the legendary artifact.
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JewelFirst recorded 712
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