Leaves are alternate, thick coriaceous, entire on the margin, deep gree and lustrous above, pale yellowish green beneath.

Petioles are deeply sulcate above.

White flowers open 1-4 fasciculately on the leaf axilsnear the base of new shoots in June.

It is one of the common trees in the second layer of the evergreen oak forests.

The wood is used for buildings, utensils, combs, turneries, fuels. The branchlets with leaves are offered before the deity in the Shinto religion. And it is planted for garden trees.

Distribution ; Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu