Kusanagi

Kusanagi may refer to several Japanese terms and proper nouns, most notably Kusanagi no Tsurugi, the Grass-Cutting Sword, a legendary weapon in Shinto mythology. According to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the sword was recovered by the storm god Susanoo from the tail of Yamata no Orochi, a multi-headed dragon. It was originally named Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi and later renamed Kusanagi (Grass-Cutting) after its exploits. The sword became linked with the Japanese imperial line and is regarded as one of the Three Sacred Treasures, the Imperial Regalia, symbolizing the Emperor’s authority.

Traditionally, the regalia are treated as sacred symbols. The sword component is commonly believed to be kept at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, though the exact nature and location of the imperial regalia are not publicly disclosed.

In modern culture, the name is used as a surname; a notable example is Motoko Kusanagi, the protagonist of Ghost in the Shell, and the name appears in various works of fiction and media as a result of the sword’s enduring legacy.