Sun Breathing, also known as Hinokami Kagura, is one of the Breathing Styles created by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Using this technique, Yoriichi almost defeats Muzan Kibutsuji in the Sengoku era.
It is passed down in a modified form to Tanjiro Kamado. But, Tanjiro’s mastery over Sun Breathing remains a mystery to many fans, and thus, this article discusses its origin, transfer, and practice.
Is Tanjiro a Sun Breather?
Tanjiro inadvertently uses Sun Breathing for the first time during his fight against the Lower Rank Five, Rui. During their battle, Tanjiro exhausts all the forms of Water Breathing, but to no avail.
When he is on the brink of death, however, Tanjiro unleashes Hinokami Kagura, which, unbeknownst to him, is Sun Breathing. On a whim, he unravels its first form, Dance, and cuts through the demon’s reinforced threads.
Having unintentionally used the technique, Tanjiro could not take full advantage of it. However, later in the series, Tanjiro encounters Shinjuro Rengoku, the former Flame Hashira, who scorns Tanjiro upon witnessing his hanafuda earrings.
He misconstrues Tanjiro’s intentions and believes the demon slayer intended to establish his superiority as a Sun Breather. Tanjiro had never heard the phrase before Shinjuro’s mention of it.
However, Shinjuro sends a letter to Tanjiro, explaining that the technique he knows as Hinokami Kagura has 13 forms. Moreover, Tanjiro remembers his father performing Hinokami Kagura as an offering to the Fire God.
Eventually, he puts the puzzle pieces together when the memories of Yoriichi performing Sun Breathing are passed down to him through his ancestor, Sumiyoshi Kamado’s memories.
Yoriichi, having no descendant of his own, passed down the hanafuda earrings along with the technique, which explains why seeing Tanjiro wearing them alarms Muzan.
Through these memories, Tanjiro witnesses Yoriichi perform all twelve forms and eventually masters the technique by matching Yoriichi’s steps with his own.
In the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, Tanjiro uses Sun Breathing in its purest form and plays an elemental role in defeating the Demon King.
