Fireflies of summer nights

Places where Genji, Heike and Hime fireflies emerge are designated in many parts of Japan. When watching them, keep lights to a minimum and leave the fireflies and their surroundings undisturbed.

Special Natural Monument

Genji Firefly

Insects

Nipponoluciola cruciata

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National Natural Monument

Heike Firefly

Insects

Aquatica lateralis

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Prefectural Natural Monument

Hime-botaru (Small Firefly)

Insects

Luciola parvula

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More features

By seasonLate autumn to early spring

Birds that come for the winter

From late autumn to early spring, cranes, swans, geese and sea eagles arrive from their northern breeding grounds. Some of their wintering sites are themselves designated Natural Monuments.

9 animals

By seasonSpring to summer

Birds that come to raise their young

These birds fly in from their southern wintering grounds in spring and raise their young in Japan over the summer. It is the season to hear and see them in forests and mountains.

6 animals

By regionKagoshima and Okinawa

Island animals of Amami and Okinawa

Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, the northern part of Okinawa Island and Iriomote were inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site in 2021. Many animals here evolved on their own islands and live nowhere else.

12 animals