The Tenseiga is wielded by Sesshomaru, who inherited the sword from his father upon his death. The swordsmith Tōtōsai created it along with the Tetsusaiga from the fangs of Sesshomaru's father, who was a daiyōkai (lit. great yōkai) dog demon famous throughout the lands. Totosai jested that its original name was going to be the coffin cheater but called it Tenseiga instead. Tōtōsai claims that only someone who has the heart to cherish others would be able to use it, but confesses that he has actually little clue to the sword's mysterious powers. Sesshomaru, surprisingly, is able to use Tenseiga's abilities. According to Tōtōsai, Tenseiga has chosen Sesshomaru as its master, regardless of whether he had a kind and caring heart and declares that whether it is to prosper or wane is up to Sesshomaru's heart.
Sesshomaru despises the Tenseiga for its lack of destructive power and early in the story would attempt to acquire InuYasha's Tetsusaiga using whatever means he deemed appropriate. Tenseiga has been used sparingly, mostly only when Sesshomaru feels like using its power for his own gains such as reviving the head of the yōkai Goshinki so that his fangs can be used to create the sword Tōkijin; or when the sword compels Sesshomaru to use it for a good cause. One such example was the sword pulsing to tell Sesshomaru to revive Kanta's father, and in so doing, Sesshomaru learns the demon graveyard his father resides in figures into Naraku's plans.
Sesshomaru's human companion, a human girl named Rin, is brought back to life with the Tenseiga after she was killed by the demon wolves of Koga; Jaken, Sesshomaru's assistant, is revived by Tenseiga as well after Kaijinbō cuts him in two halves while under the corruption of the Tōkijin.