has light. yellow flowers, and Gyoiko, which has also 
yellowish flowers dotted with green and crimson spots 
and lines, belong to the Sato-zakura. 
(3) Somei-Yoshino (the Somei Cherries; Prunus 
yedoensis ) 
This is a cherry of rather modern origin, having 
made its appearance in Tokyo from about the beginning 
of the Meiji Era (1868). Nothing was known of this 
kind of cherry in the pre-Meiji or Tokugawa period. 
Its flowers, when first blooming, are of a light crimson 
colour, but they turn pure white at full bloom. Leaves 
come out only after the flowers have faded, so that in 
the flowering season this kind presents a very spectacular 
sight, the whole tree being practically covered with 
clustered flowers as if enveloped’ in snow clouds. 
The Somei cherries do 
not grow in mountains or 
forests. They are grown 
by gardeners or horticul- 
turists as saplings, and 
are now widely cultivated 
everywhere and planted in 
parks, gardens, etc. The 
trees grow very fast, but 
are rather delicate. 
(4) Higan-zakura (the 
Equinox Cherries; Prunus 
aequinoctialis ) 
These are wild cherries 
which grow mostly in 
i Higan-zakura (the Equinox 
mountams, but are very Ceo) 
~219 
