The term "trade in lotus leaves" refers to persons who have dealt with ginkgo nuts, akebi or nuts of any beech tree of the genus Castanopsis growing naturally at different times, or with seasonal goods necessary for annual events including the five seasonal festivals and 24 divisions of the old calendar, before the days of such events at morning markets and fairs in various regions of Japan, from the old times (in the later years of the modern period, vegetable shops, flower shops and gaisho (stallholders) sold seasonal goods).
蓮の葉商い（蓮の葉商ひ、蓮葉商い）とは、古くから日本各地の朝市や縁日などで、その時々に自生する銀杏、アケビ、椎（しい）などの木の実や五節句、二十四節気の年中行事に必要な季節物をその期日の前に商いしていた者をさす（近年、近代から八百屋や花屋や街商も季節物を売っていた）。