loose-flowered hornbeam
A deciduous tree native to Japan and East Asia. The name 四手の木 (しでのき) refers to the shape of the bracts resembling 四手 (shide), the zigzag paper streamers used in Shinto rituals. Rare term; usually written in kana.
See also: アカシデ
The loose-flowered hornbeam is a deciduous tree that grows naturally in mountainous areas.
The name 四手の木 comes from the shape of its bracts, which resemble the shide paper streamers used in Shinto.
The name 四手の木 (しでのき) literally means 'shide tree', referring to the resemblance of its bracts to the zigzag paper streamers (shide) used in Shinto rituals. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name is descriptive of the tree's appearance.