Imperial Regalia of Japan

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The regalia stored in boxes

The Three Sacred Treasures (三種の神器), also known as the Imperial Regalia, are three sacred objects considered by the Japanese to hold extreme significance in their country and culture. They consist of the jewel Yasakani no Magatama (八尺瓊勾玉), the mirror Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡), and the sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi (草薙の剣), which each symbolize the virtues of benevolence, wisdom, and valor, respectively.

History

Pursuit by the Shinbakufu

Originally owned by the emperors, Emperor Go-Nara entrusted the regalia to the Assassin Alvaro Catarribera and charged his group with protecting and keeping them safe. Needing support, Catarribera and his apprentice Tsuyu traveled to Iga and recruited members of the Iga ikki, including Momochi Sandayu, Fujibayashi Nagato, and Hattori Hanzō. In time, Tsuyu became the leader of the brotherhood that became known as the Kakushiba ikki, and had the regalia stored in a kofun in Izumi Settsu.

For years, the artifacts remained safe until Hanzō, in a fit of jealousy over Tsuyu having married Nagato and had a daughter, sold information about the regalia's whereabouts, unknowingly to the Shinbakufu. Immediately regretting his actions, Hanzō reported the problem to Tsuyu who, alongside Sandayu, led a number of Assassins to protect the artifacts. However, the Kakushiba ikki failed to prevent the regalia's theft by the Shinbakufu, who massacred most of the Assassins, with Tsuyu seemingly among the victims.

Loss of the jewel

Tsuyu entrusting the Jewel to Nagato

In reality, Tsuyu survived and prevented the Jewel from being stolen. She discreetly returned to Nagato in Iga and handed the artifact to her husband before leaving to retrieve the other two regalia. Nagato hid the Jewel in the Mihata Kofun, vowing to protect it, and never told anyone about its location.

In 1581, the Shinbakufu became aware of the Jewel's location and charged Ido Yoshihiro with its retrieval, using Oda Nobunaga's invasion of Iga as a cover. Nagato, realizing the group had come after the artifact, handed his Hidden Blade to his daughter Naoe, tasking her to recover the box housing the Jewel without telling her of its contents. Naoe failed, however, as she was knocked out by Yoshihiro in the kofun.

Yoshihiro subsequently took the box to Katano Castle, where he awaited the arrival of the other Shinbakufu. Unbeknownst to him, Naoe had learned his whereabouts and, after infiltrating the castle, found Yoshihiro and assassinated him, recovering the box. This victory was short-lived, however, as Naoe was ambushed by the arriving Shinbakufu outside the castle. Nagato came to her defense, but was mortally wounded by the group and succumbed to his injuries next to his daughter while the Shinbakufu left with the box.

Surviving the encounter, Naoe began a long quest to hunt down the Shinbakufu and recover the box. In the course of her quest, she made an alliance with Nobunaga's foreign samurai, Yasuke, and they become some of the founding members of the kakushiba ikki. Eventually, after decimating the Shinbakufu, they confronted Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who surrendered the Box.

Traveling to Sakafune-ishi at Yoshiaki's advice and figuring out how to unlock the kofun through use of her hidden blade and the use of her tsuchibue, Naoe descended into the kofun and discovered three pedestals and placed her box until the one title Benevolence. Hattori Hanzo then showed up and replaced his own Regalia under the banner of Wisdom.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Shadows
• Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Iga no Monogatari (mentioned only)