If You Wanna Be Rich.... 十両、百両、千両、万両ほしい？

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

What do you think this red thing is?

This brings you wealth!

This is a red fruit of Christmas berry (ardisia crenata or "manryo" in Japanese) I saw in the peony garden within the Ueno Park. "Man" of manryo means 10,000 and "ryo" a unit of weight or currency which was used by Japan and several other Asian countries. According to Bank of Japan, based on the value of rice, one ryo valued 900 dollars in the 17th century, 450 dollars in 18th and early 19th century, and 60 dollars in late 19th century.

Manryo (10,000 ryo; 万両) or Christmas berry

The thing is that Japan has not only 10,000 ryo, but also 1,000 ryo (senryo), 100 ryo (hyakuryo) and 10 ryo (juryo).

Senryo (1,000 ryo; 千両) or sarcandra glabra or nine-knotted flower

Hyakuryo (100 ryo; 百両) or ardisia crispa

Juryo (10 ryo; 十両) or ardisia japonica or marlberry

Honestly, I can't tell the differences.... Can you? These trees are all said to bring wealth.

上野ぼたん苑で見つけた、万両、千両、百両、十両です。牡丹の陰にひっそりと寄せ植えされていました。

万両と千両は知っていましたが、百両と十両もあったんですね。知りませんでした。しかも万両って Christmas berry て言うんですね。万両とクリスマスベリー、イメージが全然違います。でも確かに緑と赤、クリスマスの色です！