honey locust (Gleditsia japonica)
A deciduous tree native to Japan, known for its large thorns and long seed pods. The pods were traditionally used as soap.
The honey locust tree has large thorns.
昔はサイカチのさやを石けんの代わりに使った。
In the past, people used honey locust pods as a substitute for soap.
Usually written in kana; katakana form is common for plant names.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Rare kanji form; the first character is not in common use.
Variant kanji form.
Variant kanji form.
The Japanese name サイカチ is of uncertain origin. The kanji 皀莢 are Chinese characters for the honey locust, but the reading さいかち is a Japanese word not derived from the Chinese reading.