Hotaru Matsuri

by Suzannah Nevas

Japan has an amazing cultural knack for taking something natural and simple and elevating it to something so beautiful, it’s just shy of pure magic. I find this to be true of many traditional culinary dishes that use hardly any components to highlight the pure flavor of just a few ingredients, but it can also be seen in countless seasonal celebrations of nature, like the subtle illumination of maple leaves at night in the fall, or the moon viewing described in classical Japanese literature. Another example of this is the humble firefly (hotaru). It’s been over a decade since I attended a Hotaru Matsuri, or Japanese Firefly Festival, but even now, the sparkling impression lingers in my memory. 

Fireflies In Japan

The intriguing and magical presence of fireflies can be found throughout history in Japanese art and literature.

The Fireflies (Hotaru), Illustration to Chapter 25 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari)

(From Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of the Hofer Collection of the Arts of Asia)

While there are hundreds of different species of fireflies, there are primarily three types that reside in Japan: the Hime, Genji and Heike. Their lifecycles and mating seasons are slightly staggered, which means that their luminescent glow can typically be seen as early as late May to as late as mid-July– though if you go all the way to the Okinawa or Hokkaido- this range can be stretched even further! 

What Is A Firefly Festival?

What is a Firefly Festival? It’s pretty much exactly as it sounds. From early June through late July, temples, shrines and parks across Japan open their grounds to the public at sunset and invite you to celebrate nature’s splendor: fireflies. Each location will be different, but often present are the typical Japanese festival stalls selling street food, toys and treats. These will be located towards the front, near admission so that the noise and lights don’t detract from the main event- observing and enjoying the bioluminescence of hundreds of fireflies! That’s it- pretty simple, right? While on its face, it is nothing more than a quiet, leisurely walk at dusk, I promise, you will feel magic- like perhaps you’ve been transported into the world of a Miyazaki film. 

Where Can You Enjoy A Hotaru Matsuri?

Hotarui Matsuri- like the hotaru itself- can be found throughout Japan. Because fireflies like trees and water, typical festival locations are parks, temples and shrines that have a large water source. However, this is not an example of the urban/rural divide: Hotaru Matsuri can be found in both the small-town countryside and in large city parks. The festival I attended was pretty small and rural at Uicho Shrine in Tamba (central Hyogo Prefecture), but if your travels are only taking you to big cities, there is the Fussa Firefly Festival right in Tokyo, or a day trip to the Terasaka Rice Terraces in Yokoze, in Saitama. Other recommendations include Okawa Onsen Takegasawa Park in Shizuoka Prefecture and Tetsuno Hotarudoyo Park in Nagano Prefecture. But truly, just about every prefecture in Japan has something, so you have no excuse not to check it out!

Resources:

https://rove.me/to/japan/firefly-festivals-hotaru-matsuri

https://www.hyogobcc.org/post/fireflies-flourishing-in-hyogo

https://en.japantravel.com/shizuoka/firefly-viewing-at-okawa-onsen-takegasawa-park/69842

https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/ev036/index.html