While some in Japan see June as the month of the dreaded humid days and summer rains…
It’s also a time to see a beautiful natural phenomenon: fireflies.
Since it’s mating season for them around that time, these little bugs light the night sky aglow, looking almost magical in the process—like little floating lanterns.
Japan’s two most common types of firefly are the genji-botaru and heike-botaru, which, for some reason, were named after rivaling clans during the Heian period.
Perhaps it has something to do with how the phenomenon of fireflies emitting light is also known as hotaru gassen, or “battle of the fireflies.”
Tokyo has already enough neon lights to make its nights bright, but it’s now time to take out your camera and capture the fireflies in all their glory!
