Who doesn’t have a mirror at home? After all, it is a very used object, in various ways. However, mirrors are often associated with supernatural phenomena or something religious. In Japan, Yata no kagami is a sacred mirror for the country.
Why is it considered a sacred object? What is the story behind its importance? These are answers we will provide throughout this article for everyone. After all, not just any object is part of a country’s national treasure.
Yes, Yata no Kagami [八咫の鏡] is one of the three sacred objects called sanjingi [三神器] that are part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. Remembering that this is the mirror, we still have a sword and a magatama stone. But let’s talk about these objects in other articles. Let’s explain what we have at hand.
These round mirrors made of bronze, silver, or gold date back many years before Christ. They were also common in China and Egypt, but it was the Japanese who considered such objects as something rare and mysterious.
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Yata no Kagami – The mirror of eight ta
Yata no Kagami can be literally translated as “the mirror of eight ta.” Ta is a unit of measurement for diameter. This name refers to its shape and size, which you can notice in the image.
This sacred mirror, as already mentioned, is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. It is said to be located at the Grand Shrine of Ise, in Mie Prefecture, Japan. This is stated despite the lack of public access for verification.
Like the other treasures, the Yata no Kagami represents a certain virtue. In this case, “wisdom” or “honesty,” depending on the source. Mirrors in ancient Japan represented truth because they simply reflected what was shown.
Moreover, mirrors have always been considered a source of much mystique and reverence. Japanese folklore is full of stories from the time before mirrors were common. In Shinto, this mirror was forged by the deity Ishikoridome.
Together with the Yasakani no magatama stone, the Yata no Kagami was hung on a tree by the deity. With the intention of attracting Amaterasu, the sun deity, from a cave. They were given to Amaterasu’s grandson, Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
It was given when he went to pacify Japan along with the Kusanagi sword. From there, the treasures passed into the hands of the Imperial House of Japan. And as we know, to this day these objects remain sacred and immaculate.
YATA NO KAGAMI and the 3 sacred treasures
The mirror, the magatama stone, and the sword are as sacred as any treasure of the Vatican. And like them, they are not usually presented freely to the general public.
Exhibitions are very rare; in the case of Yata no Kagami, we can say it is a mystery. After all, there is a certain incident that makes the truth somewhat murky.
The mirror in the image represents the true form of yata no kagami
In the year 1040, the compartment that contained the Sacred Mirror ended up being burned in a fire. Whether this mirror was irrevocably lost or not remains a mystery. This is a question that few, or even no one, knows the answer to.
It is common to hear that it is currently housed at the Grand Shrine of Ise. At the same time, a replica is consecrated in Three Shrines of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It is worth taking a look to confirm how it is treated. After all, it is a national treasure.
What is your opinion about the yata no kagami?
It is complicated to try to guess where a sacred object might be. After all, it is impossible to do so without much important information, which is often restricted access that few people are allowed to access. In other words, only very well-credentialed figures may know this.
But one thing is for sure, this is an item that Japan values greatly. We can affirm this simply by the fact that it is one of the three sacred objects of Japan. The Yata no Kagami ends up being an object adored by the masses and that is part of the country’s culture.
But anyway, just because we don’t know doesn’t mean we can’t try to guess its whereabouts. Leave in the comments where you think it might be.
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