Yamata City


 * This article is about the city. For the ruins the city was built on, see Yamata Ruins.

Yamata is a city visited in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn and is the primary settlement on the isle of Nihan, the island where Izumo was once located.

Description
Yamata's encyclopaedia entry reads as follows:
 * "This city is the primary settlement on Nihan. Its culture is centered around spirituality, with many prayer shrines."

Visually, Yamata inherits the east-asian themes of Izumo and has many Japanese references, such as the clothes worn by the people and in the prayers performed by the townsfolk.

Story
After the Golden Sun event, Izumo was destroyed by a tidal wave, forcing Uzume to relocate the people to Yamata. She died of a disease shortly after this and her tomb, along with the adjoining royal palace, are the most prominent buildings in the city. Yamata is currently governed by Susa and Kushinada. Their heirs, Takeru and Himi, leave the city during the events of the Grave Eclipse (Himi is recruited by Matthew after she is awoken by the Third Eye, Takeru leaves beforehand, acting on one of Himi's premonitions, and is not seen in-game). Below the palace (and below Uzume's tomb) is a large set of ruins that the player must visit in order to collect the Yellow Orb to complete the game.

Vendors
Yamata's inn is located slightly to the left of the city's entrance and costs 20 coins per party member.

Cultural References
Yamataikoku was an ancient country in Wa Japan, ruled by a Shaman-Queen known as Himiko. The location of the Yamatai Kingdom, known as the "Yamatai Controversy," is considered by scholars the greatest debate over the ancient history of Japan. It is likely that Himi, who is from Yamata, is based on Queen Himiko.