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The Astuta Jingu Shrine is a place that is more respected by the ordinary Japanese and isn't just treated as a place of sightseeing. The place is considered holy because the shrine contains one of the three regalia of the emperor, kusanagi- no- Tsurugi or the grass-mowing sword. The legend has that the sword belonged to a prince named Yamato Takeru who had used the latter in his campaign against the rebels in eastern Japan. The rebels had set the grass on fire to protect them but the valiant prince had used the sword to cut the grass there by extinguishing the fire. Since that particular incident the sword has been named as kusanagi- no- Tsurugi or the grass-mowing sword and has become important as Atsuta Jingu Shrine. Unfortunately the sword is off limits for the general public as it is never put on display, and there isn't anything much to see also in the Astuta Jingu Shrine. However ordinary Japanese still flock to this place in large numbers to show respect to the departed souls and the gods that reside in this shrine. The Astuta Jingu shrine is also set among picturesque settings and gives a nice break to the people from the hustle bustle of the city life and is open twenty four hours a day.
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