Ficus erecta; Japanese fig
A species of fig tree native to East Asia, bearing small edible fruits. The name literally means 'dog loquat', but it is not related to loquats.
The fruit of the Ficus erecta is small, but when ripe it is sweet and edible.
Many Ficus erecta trees grow along this mountain path.
Katakana spelling is common for this plant name; usually written in kana.
Kanji form; rarely used. 犬 means 'dog' and 枇杷 is the kanji for loquat, but this is not a loquat.
Alternate kanji form; very rare.
The name イヌビワ (inu biwa) literally means 'dog loquat', likely because the leaves resemble those of the loquat (ビワ) and the prefix イヌ (dog) often denotes a wild or inferior version of a plant. The exact origin is uncertain.