The Japanese imperial regalia (Jp: 三種の神器; "Sanshu no Jingi", or "Three Sacred Treasures") consist of the sword, Kusanagi (草薙剣) (or possibly a replica of the original; see Kusanagi), the jewel, Yasakani no magatama (八尺瓊曲玉), and the mirror Yata no kagami (八咫鏡). The regalia represent the three primary virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). These may be connected with Buddhist thought. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The following is a traditional list of Emperors of... ... The Japanese language  listen is a spoken and written language used mainly in Japan. ... A sword (from Old English sweord; akin to Old High German swerd lit. ... Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (草薙の剣) is a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japans history as Excalibur is of Britains. ... Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (草薙の剣) is a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japans history as Excalibur is of Britains. ... A gemstone is a mineral, rock (as in lapis lazuli) or petrified material that when cut or faceted and polished is collectible or can be used in jewellery. ... A mirror is a reflective surface that is smooth enough to form an image. ... Virtue (Greek αρετη; Latin virtus) is the habitual, well-established, readiness or diposition of mans powers directing them to some goodness of act. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...

The sword is located at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the mirror is located in the Ise Shrine in Mie prefecture, and the jewel is located at Kokyo in Tokyo. Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests. Because of this, no known photographs or drawings exist. Atsuta Shrine(熱田神宮) is a Japanese shrine in Nagoya. ... Nagoya Castle in June of 2004. ... Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise Daijingū 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ... Mie Prefecture (三重県; Mie-ken) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Imperial Palace Garden Imperial Palace Garden Defensive wall and building above moat surrounding Kōkyo Nijubashi, a bridge within the grounds of the Kokyo Kokyo (皇居, Kōkyo) is the Japanese Imperial palace in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo. ... Tokyo (東京; Tōkyō  listen, literally eastern capital), is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu in Japan. ... Events Beginning of Wu Zetians Zhou Dynasty in China. ... Emperor is also a Norwegian black metal band; see Emperor (band). ... Roman Catholic priest A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ...

According to legend, these artifacts were brought by Ninigi no Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line, when his grandmother, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, sent him to pacify Japan. In reality, they are probably items, possibly rather mundane in origin, from Bronze Age China or Korea, which were among the first to reach Japan near the threshold from prehistory to history; in Japan they probably appeared miraculous since bronze was still unknown. Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, from which he derived legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan. In Japanese mythology, Ninigi no Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊) was the grandson of Amaterasu, who sent him down to earth to plant rice there. ... Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture Amaterasu is a Shinto Sun goddess; she is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Korea (occasionally spelled Corea) is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the west and Russia to the north. ... Bronze figurine, found at Öland Bronze is the traditional name for a broad range of alloys of copper. ... The word legitimacy comes from the Latin word legitimare and it has two uses: Legitimacy (political science) is whether or not people accept the validity of a law or ruling or the validity of a governing regime. ...

According to legend, when Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanowo, thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ama-no-Uzume hung the mirror outside the cave and lured her into peeking out of the cave, at which point she saw her own reflection and was startled enough that the gods could pull her out of the cave. Susanowo later presented in apology to Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, which he had obtained from the body of an eight-headed serpent. Susanowo (Japanese: 須佐之男) (also transliterated as Susa-No-O and - incorrectly - Susano) in Shinto is the god of the Sea and storms. ... Categories: Stub | Japanese goddesses ...

During the Northern and Southern dynasties period in the 14th century, the possession by the Southern Dynasty of the imperial regalia has led modern chroniclers to define that as the legitimate dynasty for purposes of reign names and genealogy. The Nanboku-cho (南北朝, lit. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... ... Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ...

See also

• Japanese mythology
• Shinto
• Crown Jewels