Mandarin orange (tachibana)

橘 tachibana

Mandarin orange (tachibana)

An evergreen citrus believed to be the fruit of eternal youth, so it stands for longevity and prosperity; formal and celebratory.

Nara period (Tachibana clan); Heian palace tree

The tachibana is a native evergreen citrus. In 708 Empress Genmei granted the surname Tachibana to the court lady Michiyo, and the fruit became that clan's emblem; legend in the Kojiki and Nihon shoki identifies it with the 'fruit of eternal youth' brought from the land of Tokoyo by Tajimamori. A tachibana tree (ukon no tachibana) stands before the Shishinden of the imperial palace. The Ii clan of Hikone later used a tachibana crest.

Ukon no tachibana and sakon no sakura are placed beside Hina dolls at the Girls' Festival.

Technique catalog · draft for review

Every way to wrap, carry and wear a furoshiki.

The furoshiki.com archive, sliced into annotated steps with plain directions, plus techniques found in research.