Now. Mt. Yoshino, a famous place for cherry blossoms that has been respected and loved for more than 1300 years, is in full bloom. The cherry blossoms of Yoshino were worshiped more than 1300 years as a sacred tree since the founder of Shugendo, En no Gyoja, carved the main image, Zao Gongen, on the mountain cherry tree. Zaō Gongen (also spelled Zao) is one of the most important mountain deities of Japan’s syncretic Shugendō sects, a diverse tradition of mountain ascetic practices associated with Shintō beliefs. It is said that there are about 30,000 trees are planted in Yashino … Continue reading Thousands cherries in Mt. Yoshino, Mountain of Deities of cherries