Updated November 7, 2024

Fireflies, called hotaru in Japanese, evoke feelings of nostalgia for the summer. That's because summertime, mainly June and July are firefly season in Japan. As a result, many people go to see the pretty lights that these insects emit as a summer activity. One classic image of summer is sitting outside watching fireflies buzz by, while eating watermelon. The watermelon keeps you cool during the summer humidity, and the fireflies create a serene and peaceful view. 

If you're wondering what to do during the summer in Japan, why not visit some places that are known to have fireflies? It's a great summer activity to enjoy as a couple, on your own, or with your entire family, and most of the time it's free! So if you're planning on going to Japan in June or July, this is definitely a must-see!

Many people aren't aware that there are many species of fireflies. In Japan there are 45 types, but of those only 14 of them have the glow. There aren't as likely to be seen within the city, as fireflies prefer places with clean water and nature. Further, the darker it is, the easier it is to see the glow of the fireflies. Places that give off a lot of light like inner cities aren't ideal places for firefly viewing. 

Below are some of our top spots for viewing fireflies in the summer!

1. Kugayama Firefly Festival (Tokyo)

I know, I know, I just said that large cities aren't ideal places for viewing fireflies. It's true that rural areas tend to have more fireflies, and a better environment suited for them. But if you're in the major city of Tokyo, there are places where you can see them too. Tokyo is a really big place after all.

The Kugayama Firefly Festival is an event that takes place every year on the first weekend of June. There tends to be some light pollution, so the fireflies do not stand out too much. However, this event still allows you to see fireflies especially if you look through the undergrowth. Other than the fireflies, you can also enjoy festival foods such as yakitori and cotton candy!

2. Tsukiyono Firefly Village (Gunma)

Nestled within the mountains of Gunma, is a town called Minakami. Here you can see some of the most abundant amount of fireflies flying around the clear streams in the area. Firefly viewing usually starts around 8:00PM until 9:00PM, and is usually free for the public to view.

3. Motosu Hotaru Park (Gifu)

Considered one of the best spots to see the fireflies in their natural environment, it said to be a great place to see them naturally. Some places solely bring fireflies for the sole purpose of firefly festivals so the fireflies cannot thrive in the environment. This means that they can only be seen for a short amount of time. Here you can see them for the duration of however long their firefly season lasts, as it is a natural habitat for the fireflies. In photographs, the fireflies look like hundreds of little yellowish-green alien lights zooming every which way.

4. Kushiro Shitsugen National Park (Hokkaido)

Found in the Kushiro Shitsugen National park is a wooden pathway, the Onnenai Wooden Path, that walks you through a marsh-type environment. This means you can get really close to the fireflies and see their pretty lights during the night. Being within a national park means that it should be plenty dark for the glow of the fireflies to really stand out and not be spoilt by bright city lights.

5. Uchio Shrine (Hyogo)

At Uchio Shrine in the Hyogo Prefecture, you can see a different type of firefly that emit more of a soft orange light. These fireflies are called hime fireflies and are known to fly lower to the ground. In pictures, they almost look like little fairies adding a whimiscal feel to the photos, and painting the scene like something out of a fairytale.

**Honorable Mentions**

6. Iriomote Island (Okinawa)
7. Asukawaga (Gifu)
8. Torikawa Firefly Village (Aichi)
9. Roman-no Mori Kyowakoku (Chiba)
10. Shimoyoshida (Saitama)

For more June activity ideas, check out this post we did.