“The Kojiki tells Amaterasu’s story,” Sakura said. “One day, the sun goddess disappeared into a cave, bringing eternal night. Saddened by the darkness that enveloped the world, her brother tricked her to come out of the cave, restoring light. After her return, Amaterasu gave her descendant, Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan, three imperial treasures—a mirror, a jewel, and a sword. These treasures give the imperial family legitimacy as the descendants of the goddess, but also, it is said, they contain tremendous powers in their own right.”
