アズマヒガン

Meanings

double weeping rosebud cherry; Prunus pendula

usually written using kana alone

A species of cherry tree known for its weeping branches and double flowers. Often referred to by its scientific name or the Japanese name in botanical contexts.

Kanji

東east
彼he, that, the
岸beach

Related words

江え戸ど彼ひ岸がん
エドヒガン (Prunus pendula f. ascendens) is a related cherry species, often considered the wild form from which アズマヒガン was derived. アズマヒガン specifically refers to the double-flowered weeping cultivar.

Built from

東あずま+彼ひ岸がん

Written forms

アズマヒガン
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for this plant name; usually written in kana.
東あずま彼ひ岸がん
Kanji spelling exists but is rarely used; the plant name is normally written in kana.

Etymology

The name combines 東 (azuma, an old poetic word for eastern Japan) and 彼岸 (higan, the Buddhist equinoctial week), referring to a cherry that blooms around the spring equinox in eastern Japan. The exact derivation is uncertain.