The Auguste Goddess of the double-crowned cherry tree

 

The Gods of Yatai are not truly Gods, but they are more like powerful spirits that inhabit objects, plants, mountains, rivers or animals. 

Yatai religion is, in substance an animist one. 

Great trees, strange stones, imposing waterfalls or venerable animals are the living deities of Yatai.

The gods of the islands are tangible and present in the world.

Although the gods have control over the world, just as they do in the West, in the myths of the Island the skies are empty because the gods descended, in mythical time, into the ‘Forest’ where the Cherry Tree grows.

In fact, according to the mythology of Yatai, before Yaezakura No Mikoto Kami, The Auguste Goddess of the double-crowned cherry tree, descended from the sky, Yatai was just an immense swamp where reeds grew and where sea monsters and dangerous swamp birds lived.

The Goddess decided to descend to a low hillock, which rose up out of the water. This hill was named by the Goddess Hae-da (栄妥 or Appropriate Honour).

She descended like a small cherry tree seed, which grew to cover the entire hill, and as it grew, new land emerged and new gods descended from the sky and took up residence in Yatai.

Why the gods decided to descend to earth is unclear. The oldest myths simply report that they decided to do so. However, the presence, since the foundation of the empire, of the Doctrine of Eternal Light has meant that the most common explanation for the gods' descent is the decision to make way for Anrō and his Jōmyōjin.

Another possible explanation said that Gods decided to rule from earth and not from the heavens, to be more near to their faithful ones and material world.  

Although it is difficult for an inhabitant of Volos to understand, Yaezakura is yes the national goddess and the main deity of Yatai, but she is not the Queen of the Gods.

The other gods are no less important than her and do not obey her. On the contrary, since her role as dynastic and national goddess is very institutional, it could be said that other gods and goddesses are much more venerated than her. Nevertheless, the double-crowned cherry blossom remains the symbol of national unity.  

Her main shrine is, of course, that of Haeda, where the majestic Cherry Tree is said to be the Shintai of the Goddess and, therefore, the Goddess herself.


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