Which three-legged crow is a guide in Japanese mythology?

The three-legged crow that guides Emperor Jimmu in Japanese mythology is Yatagarasu.

Yatagarasu is a great crow and guiding deity in Shinto mythology. In the story of Emperor Jimmu’s Eastern Expedition, the divine bird leads Jimmu through the difficult route from the Kumano region toward Yamato, including the way to Yoshino and ultimately Kashihara. The guidance helps the legendary emperor reach the area where he establishes the Yamato court.

The name is often translated as “eight-span crow,” with yata conveying greatness or breadth in this context. Yatagarasu is commonly depicted with three legs and is associated with divine intervention, the sun, and the Kumano region. It is also widely regarded as an incarnation of Kamotaketsunumi no Mikoto, although the earliest texts are not completely specific on that identification.

A useful historical nuance is that the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki do not explicitly describe Yatagarasu as three-legged. The earliest known Japanese reference connecting the figure with three legs dates to the Heian period, around 930, likely reflecting interaction with older Chinese and Korean sun-crow traditions.

Yatagarasu is not the same as a tengu, raicho, or karura. Its defining mythic role is guidance, especially the guidance of Jimmu toward Yamato.