June
06
/ 2015
The Isonokami Shrine is a Shinto shrine believed to have been built in 4 AD. Located in in the foothills of Tenri in Nara prefecture, Japan, this shrine is culturally significant for it houses several national treasures. These treasures include a legendary sword that is one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, mirrors, and jewels. Among these priceless treasures is a curious sword known as the Nanatsusaya no Tachi, or ‘Seven-Branched Sword’. The Seven-Branched Sword is so called because of the three branch-like protrusions extending on each side of the sword’s main body. Together with the tip of the central blade, they make up seven ‘branches’. This sword measures at 74.9 cm (2.5 feet) in length, and is made of
