noun
Japanese spirea; meadowsweet
Refers to the plant Spiraea japonica. The name is an abbreviation of 下毛野 (Shimotsuke-no), an old name for the region where the plant was first discovered.
See also: 下毛野
庭にシモツケが咲いている。
Japanese spirea is blooming in the garden.
noun
Shimotsuke Province
Only when written 下野
Historical province in present-day Tochigi Prefecture. Used only with the kanji 下野.
下野国は、現在の栃木県にあたる。
Shimotsuke Province corresponds to present-day Tochigi Prefecture.
Obscure kanji spelling for the plant; not in common use.
Old name for the region; シモツケ (the plant) is an abbreviation of this.
The plant name シモツケ is an abbreviation of 下毛野 (Shimotsuke-no), referring to the old province where it was first found. The historical province name 下野 (Shimotsuke) shares the same origin.