Who Is Yatagarasu, the Great Crow (Three-legged crow)?
The heavenly crow who guided Emperor Jimmu
Yatagarasu
Yatagarasu is a great crow sent down from heaven by the god Takagi as a guide in the Kojiki. "Ata" is an old unit of length, and "yata" (eight ata) means "very large."
Because the depths of Kumano were full of unruly gods, Takagi announced, "I will send Yatagarasu; follow behind it." Iwarebiko and his men followed the crow over the mountains and reached the lower Yoshino River. In Uda, Yatagarasu served as a messenger, asking the brothers Ukashi the Elder and Ukashi the Younger whether they would serve; Ukashi the Elder answered by shooting at it with a whistling arrow.
Yatagarasu is well known as a three-legged crow, but the Kojiki says nothing about its appearance or number of legs — the three legs are an image that spread in later times. Today it is famous as the emblem of the Japan Football Association and is honored at the shrines of Kumano.
