シナノキ科シナノキ属の落葉高木で、学名は Tilia japonica。英名は Japanese linden。
The Japanese linden (Tilia japonica) belongs to Tiliaceae (the Linden family). It is a tall deciduos tree that is an endemic species to Japan, and distributed to Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu. This tree grows in the mountains and up to a height of over 20 m. The barks are dark brown, thin scalelike, and furrowed longitudially. The leaves are broad ovate, left-right asymmetric and acute serrated on the edges. On the back of the leaves, fine hair gathers like side armpits in the division of the veins. They turn yellow in fall. The peduncles with a bract are borne at axils and bloom many, small, pale yellow flowers from June to August. The fruits are subglobular nuts with hairs. High-quality honey is derived from the nectar of this flowers.