Tachibana (橘), a fairly uncommon variety of mandarin orange, grow wild in Japan's forests.
Arriving from the mainland about 2000 years ago, they feature prominently in early Japanese poetry and the tale of Tajimamori (多遅麻毛理/田道間守), now considered the 'god of sweets'.
Tachibana flowers have been used as family crests for over a thousand years.
Oimatsu's 'Yamato-tachibana' are made from whole tachibana, hollowed out, prepared in syrup and filled with mochi.
Illustration of Tajimamori, 'god of sweets'.
Tachibana trees in full fruit.