Nanten is a plant that was introduced from China during the Heian period and has been valued as a herbal medicine to suppress coughs since ancient times. It bears many glossy red fruits from late autumn to early winter, and because of its pronunciation ``difficulty'', it is popular as a lucky tree that symbolizes ``turning hardship into good fortune.'' It is also said to be a talisman that keeps bad spirits away by placing it at the entrance. An encyclopedia from the Edo period states that ``planting a southern sky will prevent fires,'' and in many private homes they are planted in unlucky directions to ward off fires, and are said to protect the safety of the home.