It was also said that Takatsune's expulsion was a divine punishment because shinboku (sacred tree) of Kasuga-taisha Shrine (which was the guardian deity of the Fujiwara clan and had a close relationship with Fujiwara clan's temple Kofuku-ji Temple) (Kasuga Shinboku) was brought to Kyoto at that time.
折から春日大社（藤原氏の氏神であり、氏寺である興福寺と密接な関係にある）の神木（春日神木）が京都にもたらされていたため、高経が追放されたのは神罰であるとも言われた。