Firefly Watching
firefly/蛍 (hotaru)


In Heian court literture "Makura no Soshi/The Pillow Book", there are lines that mentions
how Seisho Nagon, the author, feels elegant when fireflies fly around in summer.
夏は夜。月の頃はさらなり。闇もなほ。蛍の多く飛び違いたる。また、ただ一つ二つなど ほのかにうち光りて行くもおかし。・・・
In summer the night is best. Not only enjoing the moon shines, but also dark nights.
It's so nice to see both many fireflies flitting in a random pattern and even few fireflies flitting with glow of faint light


Good condition: No wind, No moon light and humid warm night.
Bad condition: Windy and cold night.

Fireflies need clean water to survive.
In old days, we could see them here and there.
We cought and kept them in a cage, and enjoyed their winking on and off at home.
Catching fireflies is called "Hotaru-gari".
Today, so much water is polluted that it's rare to find them.
The site below, the environment has been kept by the local people who love fireflies and nature.
Please don't catch and take them your home
.
Period and times are subject to change from year to year due to climate



Kosho-ji Koen Biotope
(興正寺公園)

Firefly Watching at Kosho-ji Biotope
(ビオトープ蛍観賞会/Biotope Hotaru Kansho-kai)

June 9th (Saturday) 2018 Canceled
19:00-

Admission: Free

Biotope is called Tombo-ike
located near So-mon gate.


78 Yagotohonmachi, Showa-ku, Nagoya
名古屋市昭和区八事本町78

TEL
052-832-2801

Access
Get off at Yagoto Sta. on the Meijo or Tsurumai Subway Line.
Take exit 1. Turn to right. A 3-min. walk.



Kosho-ji (temple)




Obata-Ryokuchi Hotaru no Sato
(小幡緑地ホタルの里)

1632-1, Aza-Nakayama, Ushimaki, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya C.

(名古屋市守山区大字牛牧字中山1632-1)

Keiryu Hiroba in ObataRyokuchi

Early June

We can see Genji-botaru HimeBotaru

There is a map of the park at the parking area in Honen/main park.
After a while from the gate of the park, you will find an
expalanationboard of fireflies and their habitat.
Go down the stairs and Hotaru-no-Sato is there.

Access
Get off at Ozone Sta. on the Meijo Subway Line or
Meitetsu Line or JR Line.
Take Yutorieto Line (guideway bus),
Get off at Obata-Ryokuchi stop.

By car (from Nagoya)
ex. Take HigashiMeihan Expressway.
Get off at Obata IC
(小幡IC) and drive 2 min.

Inquiries
052-791-9492, 052-793-2491



Nagoya Castle Outer Moat
名古屋城外堀

Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya C.
名古屋市中区本丸

10 min. walk from the Shiyakusho Sta. exit 4. on the
Meijo Subway Line.

Late May - Early June (around 23:00 - 3:00)

We can see "Hime-botaru"there.
Hime-botaru is a terrestrial firefly.

TEL: 052-231-1700


Gokoku Jinja (shrine)
護国神社

Gokoku Jinja

Late May -

We can see "Hime-botaru"there.
Hime-botaru is a terrestrial firefly.


Aioiyama Ryokuchi
相生山緑地

Aioiyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya C.
名古屋市天白区相生山

Late May - Early June
(21:00- )

We can see "Hime-botaru"there.
Hime-botaru is a terrestrial firefly.

TEL: TempakuDobokuJimusho 052-803-6644
 


Gajouen
賀城園
(Beer Garden)

Late May - Mid June
19:00-20:00

16-22, Yosamu-cho, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya C.
名古屋市熱田区夜寒町16-22

Access
Get off at Nishitakakura Sta. on the Meijo Subway Line.
Take exit 1. Walk to south-east approx. 6 min.

You can watch fireflies while drinking beer.

They held Firefly-Watching event
TEL: 0120-82-3747
http://www.gajouen.co.jp/event/index.html (Japanese)
-  -


Aburagafuchi Hotaru no Sato in Hekinan City
(油ヶ淵 ほたるの里)

Hekinan C.(碧南市)

June 1 - June 24 (During the iris festival)
19:30-21:00
The best time to watch fireflies is usually around June 10th of each year.
At the Southwest corner of Aburagafuchi-Yuuenchi.

At the north shore of the Aburagafuchi Lake, there is
a firefly-shed in the iris gardens.
The atmosphere is not natural, however it's good
to watch fireflies up close.

Access
Get off at Kitashinkawa (北新川) Sta. on the Meitetsu Line.
Take "Kurukuru Bus" (Free city bus) and get off
at Aburagafuchi-Yuuenchi
(油ヶ淵遊園地)

By car (from Nagoya)
Take Route 23. Turn to right at the Fukugamacho-Shimoyama (福釜町下山).
Drive approx. 1.5km and turn to left at the Okute (大久手) intersection.
drive approx. 3km.



Closed to public in 2018
Joko-ji Hotaru no Sato in Seto City
(定光寺ほたるの里)


Kawahira-cho, Seto C.
(瀬戸市川平町79 愛知森林管理事務所 森林交流館より400m南)
Open: 1 week only (Mid June)

June 11 Sat. - June 19 Sun. (2016)
Fireflies are most active between 20:00 and 22:00.
But "Fireflies-Watching" close at 21:00.
So, please arrive at the venue by 20:00 and enjoy watching 1 hour.

Admission: Free
Enter from the West gate.

Access
Get off at Joko-ji
(定光寺)Sta. on the JR Chuo Line.
Take taxi (15 min.)

By car
Take route 155. From Seto city, drive forward Kozoji
(高蔵寺)
After passing through Nakamizuno intersection,
turn left at the Seven-Eleven.
Turn right 50m after the MizunoNakabashi
(水野中橋).
Then you will take narrow road.
Drive toward Chushokigyo-Daigakkou
(中小企業大学校)
Turn right at the rotary

Inquiries
0561-97-8875
Joko-ji Hotaru no Sato no kai
0561-48-0489


Komaki-shi Hotarunosato, Ohyama River
小牧 大山川
ホタルの里

(North of Komaki-Shimin Shiki-no Mori)
小牧市大字大山東32  小牧市民四季の森の北側を流れる大山川の上流600m)




Early June - Mid June

Genji Botaru





Take a Komaki Junkai Bus, and get off at
野口大山NoguchiOhyama stop or 市民四季の森ShiminShikinomori stop.
A 5-min. walk.


Inquiries
Komaki C. Toshi-seibi-ka
0568-76-1191



Hirahara GenjiBotaru no Sato in Nishio City
平原ゲンジボタルの里


Maeyama Hirahara-cho, Nishio C. Aichi Pref.
(西尾市平原町前山地内)
After 7:30 p.m. is better
Hime-botaru Early May - Mid May
Kuromado-botaru Mid May - Mid July
Genji-botaru Early June - Mid June
Heike-botaru Late June - Mid July

Hotaru (firefly) Festival
June 7(Fri) - June 11 (Tue) 2019


Access
From Nagoya Get off the Route 23 Okazaki Bypass at the NishioHigashi
西尾東
(Nishio East) Interchange. Drive to the east approx 5 min.
From Toyohashi Get off the Route 23 Okazaki Bypass at the Koda-Sumi
幸田須美(KotaSumi) Interchange. Drive to the west approx 2 min.

Inquiries
Hirahara GenjiBotaru-no-Sato Hozonkai
090-9903-3098

Tokkawa Hotaru-no-Sato in Okazaki City
岡崎市鳥川地区

Tokkawa-cho, Okazaki C. Aichi Pref.
岡崎市鳥川町

Late June - Late June

May 26-June 30: Hotaru Festival 2019

Genji-botaru
 Photo courtesy of Ruan

Inquiries
Okazaki-shi Hotaru Gakkou
0564-82-3027

Okazaki-Shiyakusho Kankyo-bu ShizenKyosei-ka
0564-23-6921


Nabana no Sato in Mie Pref.
(なばなの里)



Late May - Mid June
The best time to watch fireflies is usually between June 7 and 14
of each year.


Access
30 min. by car from Nagoya.
Take Nagoya-Kosoku (名古屋高速) and
Higashi-Meihan (東名阪)and get off from
Nagashima IC. Then 10-min. ride.
or
Take a nonstop express bus (Mie-Kotsu
三重交通0594-22-0595
 or Meitetsu Bus 名鉄バス 0567-32-3658)from Meitetsu Bus
Center 4F Stop #2. to Nagashima Onsen.
map nonstop-bus timetable
Meitetsu Bus Center (3F Ticket Counter):
052-561-6381
Mie-Kotsu
三重交通0594-22-0595
Meitetsu Bus
名鉄バス 0567-32-3658

One way ticket: 1000yen
Return ticket: 1800yen


Ohno Gokuraku-ji Koen
大野極楽寺公園

1400, Aza-Koyaura, Ohno, Asai-cho, Ichinomiya C. Aichi Pref.
愛知県一宮市浅井町大野字小屋裏1400

Early June - Late June

Heike Botaru

Inquiries: Ohno Gokurakuji Koen
0586-51-3015

Ichinomiya C. Aichi Pref.
*Asano Koen * 138 Tower 
Toyota C. Aichi Pref.
*Toyota-shi Miyaguchigawa *Asuke Konokuchi Koen
*Around Gunkai River (along Route 301) *Suigen Koen