The sun is most definitely a sun. I have a bunch of references in mind but have no time to put them down -- perhaps later if I have a chance.
Yeah I agree. But for some reason I imagined it not damaging to your eyes to look at it. I imagine it just as bright as ours, but possible to stare at it without going blind.
Maybe because of that description from MN you posted, a sun laughing for joy just seems like a sun you can look at for a long time.
Anyway, I never thought too deeply about where that place was that the fire flowers came from, or the birds coming from the sun, I just accepted it as magic.