Kikyō



Kikyo is a Miko, a Shinto priestess, who was entrusted with the Shikon no Tama (Sacred Jewel, or Jewel of Four Souls) by the Demon Slayers Village. The elders of the Demon Slayers came in possesion of the Shikon no Tama and quickly found that it was attracting Yokai and Evil Humans from far and wide. They determined that only a Miko of great purity and power would be able to purify and protect this jewel from misuse. It became Kikyo's destiny to spend her life guarding this Shikon no Tama lest it fall into the wrong hands, for the resulting evil and chaos would wrend the entire country.

In ancient times a Miko was a young, pure woman who acted as an Oracle in the Shinto Temple, and assistant to the Shinto Priest.

Kikyo's Clothing:
Kikyou is clearly wearing the tradional dress of a Miko, which has remained essentially unchanged to this day, except for the lack of the archaic slit-shoulder seam.

Kikyou wears a white jacket with sode-kukuri (cords) through the sleeves and the open shoulders similar to Inuyasha's and Jaken's. Strings called muna-himo are attached to each lapel, and are tied in front to keep the garment closed.
 * Jacket

Kosode (literally: "little sleeve") were originally worn as underwear but by the Kamakura era, became accepted outer layer garments; more dressy with less sculpted sleeves. Kosode of the Heian and Kamakura Periods were always white. Kikyou's kosode would be very much like a modern Kendo or Naginata Keikogi, with the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern loose shirt, and extending to slightly past the wrist.
 * Kosode (shirt)

The slits in the side of the hakama show the white kosode, and the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of the hitoe (jacket) show it as well. This is a deliberate fashion effect.

Kikyou wears bright red hakama, which include the small board at the lower back.
 * Hakama

On her feet, Kikyo wears common tabi (socks) and rice straw sandals.
 * Tabi

Kikyou wears a red Obi, or belt, over the other garments.
 * Obi

Kikyo's Weapons
Kikyo carries a traditional red Saigu-Yumi (literally Priestess Bow) and a quiver of Hamaya ( "evil-destroying arrow" or "demon-breaking arrow") fletched with white feathers. She has the ability to imbue each arrow with great spiritual power that has destroyed, disabled or sealed any Yokai or other evil to date.

Re-incarnation in Kagome
In present day Tokyo, the Higurashi family now resides in a shrine compound that houses the Time Tree and the ancient well. Kagome Higurashi, a middle-school student who just turned 15, has to retrieve their family cat Buyo from the well. She was ready to leave the well with the cat when a centipede y&#333;kai Mistress Centipede (Mukade J&#333;r&#333;) emerged from the well, dragging a very confused Kagome through the wormhole and back to the Sengoku period (Feudal Era of Japan) approximately 500 years ago. Kagome was proven to be Kikyo's reincarnation in that the Shikon Jewel was within her body; she awoke InuYasha and the adventure for her began.