Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi: Japan’s Phantom Blade of Power

In this electrifying episode of Mythlok, host Nitten Nair dives headfirst into the whirlwind legend of Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi—Japan's mythical Grass-Cutting Sword that once took on an eight-headed dragon and lived to slice again.

From its jaw-dropping origin inside the belly of the monstrous Yamata no Orochi, to saving a prince from a fiery death, this is no ordinary piece of sharpened steel. We’ll uncover how this wind-wielding blade became a symbol of divine authority, explore its mysterious powers, and ask the all-important question: Is it a blessing, or a beautifully crafted curse?

Expect gods, monsters, windy showdowns, drunken dragons, and just enough historical conspiracy to make Indiana Jones raise an eyebrow. So unsheathe your curiosity, hit play, and let the legend slice through the fog of time!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Hey, hey, hey, hello everyone, fellow mit maniacs. Welcome back
to Mythlook, the one podcast and YouTube channel where ancient gods, dragons,
and legendary swords refuse to stay dead and quiet. I'm
your host, Nathan Naya, your guide to the weird, wild,
and widely mystical world of mythology. Today, we're drawing a

(00:38):
blade straight out of Japanese legend. And no, it's not
a katana forged by a blind swordsman in a training montage.
This one's been literally chilling inside a monster's tale. We're
talking about the Kusanagi no surugi aka the grass cutting sword,

(00:58):
a weapon so legendary it makes excalible look like a
button knife. So strap in, sharpen your blades metaphorically, of course,
and prepare for a tale of God's whose wind powers
and some serious snake surgery. So what does this bad
boy actually look like? Spoiler alert, it's not a typical

(01:21):
samurai sword from an anime opening sequence. Instead of the
iconic curved katana, kosunagi, nosurugi is said to resemble an
ancient street edged blade like the Chinese Gian think less
cool samurai posing under territory blossoms more elegant but deadly
wind powered.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Dagger of Doom.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Some texts describe it as a double edged sword with
a blade that glows like dragon scale disco lighting. It's
supposedly shimmered, pulsed with divine energy, and possibly hummed like a.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Spiritual life stable.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Oh and it may or may not have sacred inscriptions
carved into it. Basically read at your own risk warning
label for mortals. The sword didn't just cut things, It
altered fate, which brings us to its origins, which is
what we all are looking forward to knowing more about forests,

(02:20):
rivers and oh yeah, an eight headed dragon the size
of a small town enter Yamatan no Uruchi, a beast
so massive it could slurp rivers like ramen noodles. Each
of its eight heads was terrifying, glowing red like it
do not approach warning light. And then comes the storm

(02:42):
god Susannu no Mikoto, recently fired from heaven, currently coutsurfing
on earth. He meets a couple crying over his seven daughters,
all devoured by Orochi. So Susanu goes into full god
mode bruise eight wats of sake. Yes as usual sake,
saves the day, gets the dragon hammered, and then pulls

(03:04):
off an epic eight headed beheading. It's like the ultimate
Sakia fueled slasher movie. But when he cuts into Orochi's tail,
he hits something hard and no, it's not the dragon's wallet.
It's the divine blade itself, Kosanagi no surugi, not forged
by human hands, born from monster guts. Susano, being a

(03:28):
classy guy, gives the sword to Sister Amatrasu, the Sun
Goddess because nothing says sorry. I tries to your cerestial
palace like a regurgitated god's sword. Now let's talk powers.
This isn't your average slice and lice weapon. Kosanagi was
basically a weather app with a sharp edge. It is

(03:49):
said to control the way, not in a gentle breeze
kind of way, but in a I will drive your
army off a cliff kind of way. The sword's most
famous flex that's where the name comes from.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Grass cutting sword.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Picture this Prince Yamato take trapped in a field set
on fire. Because the ancient Japan didn't believe in boring
battle tactics, he starts swinging the sword, slicing the grass
and boom, the wind starts cooperating, flames get blown away,
and our prince. It's a dramatic slow motion escape. So yeah,

(04:26):
it's a sword that doubles as a leaf blower, a really,
really deadly leaf blower. Loving this whirlwind of legendary blades
and boozy dragons. Smash that light button, hit subscribe, and
ring that mythical bell. We've got more ancient weirdness coming
your way, and you don't want to miss it. All right,

(04:47):
back slicing through a legend. So, after being pulled from
a dragon's inerds and handed over to the sun goddess,
Kusunagi eventually made the hands of Prince Yamatu Takiu, basically
the rock star prince of ancient Japan. Brave, bold, and
dramatically short lived. With the sword in hand, he conquered lands,

(05:09):
battle monsters, and probably starred in his own epic anime.
But here's the kicker. He left the sword behind on
one campaign, and yeah, he died far from home. No sword,
no survival model of the story. Never leave your magical

(05:29):
blade behind. It's like forgetting your phone charger. Since then,
Kusunagi became one of Japan's three sacred Treasures, the mythical
starter pack for emperors. It is said to be kept
at the Atsuta Shrine, but nobody's ever seen it, which
is exactly someone with a divine sword w'd say. Now

(05:50):
here's where things get juicy. This sword's history is murky, mysterious,
and full of wad what moments. At one point, a
monk allegedly stole it in the twelfth century, then it
got returned, or maybe it was lost at sea, or
maybe the one in the shrine is a decoy while

(06:11):
the real one chills in a secret underground vault. Regardless,
the Kusinaghi nos Rugi refuses to fade into history. It
thrives in mystery because nothing says legendary like zero photographic evidence.
So now let's break down the pros and cons or
the Kosnaghi no serrugi and determine whether it's a blessing
or a curse.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Let's break it down.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
Pros can't control wind, saves princess from fire traps, looks
amazing and legend. Cons might be cursed killed its last
known wielder, and it's impossible to sell fie with power.
This grade always comes with strings. Kusunagi seems to choose

(06:55):
who it protects, and maybe it doesn't vipe with the
glory hogs or warlords. Divine swords have standards. As you see,
you've seen it, even you didn't realize it. Kusinaghinos Urugi
lives on in anime, manga, and video games galore, from
Final Fantasy to Naruto. This mythological blade has more cameos

(07:17):
than Stanley, and despite all that fame, in real life.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
It's locked away.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
No one sees it, no Instagram account, pure mystery. That's
how you know it's a real legend. So here's a
thought to leave you with. What if the sword came back?
What if it chose someone in today's world? Would it
still slides through fate or just cause chaos on Twitter?

(07:44):
Maybe it's better this way, lost in legend, remembered in
whispers and inspiring everything from emperors to anime Until next time.
This is your host, Nathan Nyer, reminding you to stay curious.
Hanstey Mythical