The daidai (Japanese: 橙, 臭橙; Chinese: 酸橙; Korean: 광귤, ''gwanggyul''), is an

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

n variety of

bitter orange Bitter orange, Seville orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange is the citrus tree ''Citrus'' × ''aurantium'' and its fruit. It is native to Southeast Asia and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. It is probably a cross be ...

. The daidai originated in the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...

. It spread to the

Yangtze valley The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...

region and later to Japan. The colour of the fruit loses yellowish hue and becomes greener in the spring. The native Japanese word for the color orange, or ''daidai-iro'', is derived from the name of this fruit.

Uses

There are two main cultivars, and , and the latter bears smaller fruits than the former in Japan. The fruit is very bitter, and not usually eaten, but its dried peel is used in

Kampo , often known simply as , is the study of traditional Chinese medicine in Japan following its introduction, beginning in the 7th century. It was adapted and modified to suit Japanese culture and traditions. Traditional Japanese medicine use ...

(the Japanese adaptation of

Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...

). The dry peels of young fruits are called ''kijitsu'' ( 枳実), and used as a stomachic and expectorant as well as a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

. Peel of ripe daidai is called , and is used as a fragrant stomachic and expectorant.

Cultural aspect

The name ''daidai'', originally meaning "several generations" (and written as or ), came from the fruit staying on the tree for several years if not picked; thus, a tree bears fruits of more than one season or from multiple years. Another background of its name refers to the shape of kaiseito's calyx, which appears to be stepped or as if the fruit is borne on two pedestals or . That is why people also called it ). Daidai is used as a decoration in

Japanese New Year The is an annual festival with its own customs. Since 1873, the official Japanese New Year has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year, . However, some traditional events of the Japanese New Year are par ...

celebrations, such as ''Shimekazari'', as a symbol of the family to continue for generations, and people place a fruit on top of ''

kagami mochi is a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It usually consists of two round mochi (rice cakes),Kagami mochi FAQ ...

'', a stack of two to three round and flat

mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally ma ...

. This use is believed to date from the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characte ...

. It has not yet been resolved as a true species by The Plant List.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3895256 Fruits originating in Asia Japanese fruit Citrus