Japanese plum blossoms at the Japanese plum garden in Hofu Tenmangu Shrine
There are about 1,100 Japanese plum trees comprising of 16 different kinds at the Japanese plum garden in the Hofu Tenmangu Shrine, which bear beautiful flowers from early February to mid-March.
Many old Japanese plum trees remain on the shrine grounds. Unlike edible Japanese plums which are made up of varieties obtained through cross-breeding, the old Japanese plum trees are of a wild Japanese plum tree which contains the characteristics of its original species. Because they bear white flowers, this type of Japanese plum is called hakubai (white Japanese plum). Japanese plum lovers, however, refer to it as yabai (mountain Japanese plum) and use them in gardens or bonsai, dwarfed potted trees.

The mountain Japanese plum yabai retain its characyerisetics from its originarl species with the surface of the cut branch white (not related to the flower's color).
The flowers are white and thier sepals green.
Characteristics of red plums koubai include the cut branch being red(not related to the flower's color).
The characteristics of the original species strongly remain. Regardless of the color of the flower, the cut end of the branch is white. The flower is white, the calyx is green.
Kobai line (Kobai, Hibai)
Regardless of the color of the flower, the cut end of the branch is red.
Bungo line (Bungo, Anzu)
Regardless of the color of the flower, the line contains the same characteristics of both Japanese plums and aprico