Many years ago, a priestess named Kikyo guarded a very powerful jewel called the Shikon no Tama. The Shikon Jewel grants its possessor incredible power and as its protector, Kikyo never hesitated to destroy any demon, or human, that attempted to take it. However, she fell in love with the half-demon Inuyasha. They eventually were deceived by Naraku (a very powerful demon), who tricked them into fighting each other. Kikyo shot an arrow at Inuyasha, binding him to a tree in eternal sleep. Kikyo was also mortally wounded, and she took the Shikon Jewel with her in death.Back in modern day Japan, a young girl named Kagome gets pulled into the magical old well at her family's shrine by a demon who senses the jewel in her body. As it turns out, Kagome is the reincarnation of Kikyo. After she passes through the well, back into feudal Japan, she meets Inuyasha and frees him so that he will protect her from the demon. The jewel is ripped from Kagome's body, buy Inuyasha quickly destroys the demon.
Inuyasha first believes that Kagome is actually Kikyo, but is convinced otherwise when the truth is revealed by Kaede (Kikyo's younger sister - now much older). Several demons come after The Shikon and it eventually gets broken, shattered into hundreds of pieces that are spread across the land. Inuyasha and Kagome (who is realizing her powers as the reincarnation of the priestess) join forces to search for the shards, to keep them from the hands of the demons. They meet up with Shippo, Miroku, and Sango along their way who join them in their quest, and they also gain some very powerful enemies, including Naraku, and Inuyasha's (full demon) brother, Sesshoumaru.
