Illumination of nature at night in Iriomote Island! Let's enjoy the firefly show!
Table of Contents
- 1 Can fireflies be seen year-round on Iriomote Island?
- 2 There are four kinds of fireflies that can be seen on Iriomote Island!
- 3 High probability! Firefly Spots in Iriomote Island Old Shirahama Road
- 4 Points to note when viewing fireflies
- 5 Flow of Firefly Tour in Iriomote Island
- 5.1 Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow (1) Move to the field by guide's car
- 5.2 Flow of Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Walk to the point
- 5.3 Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow Arrival at the firefly spot
- 5.4 Flow of Iriomotejima Firefly Tour 4) Walking in the jungle to the car
- 5.5 Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow (5)Transportation by car and dismissal
- 6 After seeing the stars on the ground, look at the stars in the night sky!
- 7 Ferry tickets must be purchased in advance! The counter on the day of the event will be more crowded than expected!
- 8 summary
Can fireflies be seen year-round on Iriomote Island?
There are mainly four kinds of fireflies living in Iriomote Island. Each of them can be seen at different times of the year, and in fact, fireflies can be seen almost all year round at some spots.
When fireflies can be seen in Iriomote Island
| type | time |
|---|---|
| Rhizophora mucronata (species of midge) | Late February to early May |
| Hotaria parvula (species of firefly) | April - November |
| Asplenium antiquum (species of spleenwort) | December to January (from September if larvae are included) |
| Iriomote firefly (Lucilia cruciata) | November to late December (there have been confirmed cases from late December to March) |
Fireflies inhabit Iriomote Island,The size of the light and the way it emits light, ,appointed (designated) timeSince each of the two islands has its own unique characteristics, many repeat visitors come to Iriomote Island in different seasons to see and compare the different species.
It is also recommended to join a night tour, a privilege for those staying on Iriomote Island, to explore the jungle at night with fireflies.
↓ Learn more about Iriomotejima Firefly Tour ↓
There are four kinds of fireflies that can be seen on Iriomote Island!
It is so popular and valuable that some visitors to Iriomote Island even stay overnight on Iriomote Island for the firefly tour.
The scene of fireflies flying around is truly an illumination of nature! Please visit Iriomote Island and actually experience the fantastic sight that cannot be conveyed only by pictures.
Fireflies seen in Iriomote Island
(1) Yaeyama Firefly
Yaeyama fireflies are about 2.3 mm long.The smallest firefly in JapanIt is.
The female has no wings and cannot fly, while the male can fly, but not for long periods of time, so they fly slowly just above the ground.
Normal fireflies seen in Japan are usually found near rivers, but this firefly in the Yaeyama Islands including Iriomote IslandOften in jungle swamps.It is.
Yaeyama fireflies areAs soon as it gets dark, it begins to glow,Instead of glowing in pockets, thousands or tens of thousands of them gather in one place and flash their light, hence the name "Carpet of LightIt is also referred to as "the
↓ Click here for popular plans including Yaeyama fireflies ↓ Click here for popular plans including Yaeyama fireflies
Fireflies seen in Iriomote Island
(2) Kiirozumi Firefly
The yellow-throated firefly is a relatively small firefly, measuring approximately 6 mm to 7 mm in length.
Yellow-throated fireflies are found on leaves and branches of trees.comparatively high placeThe light is not blinking and flies from branch to branch, keeping its light. You can see the light shining in the sky like a starry sky.
Luminescence period partially overlaps with that of Yaeyama fireflies.April - early MayThe best time to see two types of fireflies, the Yaeyama firefly and the Kiiro-suji firefly, is from April through March, when the Yaeyama firefly and the Kiiro-suji firefly are both at their best.
Fireflies seen in Iriomote Island
(iii) Oshima Mado Botaru
Oshima mado botaru are large, 1.5 cm to 3 cm in length,Even larvae emit light.These fireflies are a bit special. The adults can be seen from around November, but the larvae start glowing their bellies from around September.
The Oshima Mado Botaru is characterized by the beauty of its suspiciously shining green light. Although the jungle is the main luminescent spot, they can sometimes be seen on roadsides, so if you turn off your flashlight and look along the road at night, you may be able to spot them...
Fireflies seen in Iriomote Island
(4) Iriomote firefly (Luciola cruciata)
Iriomote fireflies are also known as "Fireflies in Winter"It is said that,Fireflies often glow when the temperature is low.The lower the temperature, the stronger the luminescence. The lower the temperature, the stronger the luminescence.
Iriomote fireflies are,Endemic only to Ishigaki and Iriomote IslandsThe Okinawa tiger whale is an endangered species in Okinawa Prefecture and is therefore carefully protected as such. The number of individuals is extremely small, so you will be lucky if you see one!
High probability! Firefly Spots in Iriomote Island
Old Shirahama Highway
On the old Shirahama Highway,Late February - Mayis the emergence season. It is said that the most beautiful time to see fireflies is about an hour between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
*Previously, individuals were able to visit for firefly viewing,About 10 years ago, a landslide occurred on the Shirahama Highway, making it impassable.
If you want to see the Yaeyama fireflies on the old Shirahama Highway, join a tour and visit.
↓ Click here for popular plans including Yaeyama fireflies ↓ Click here for popular plans including Yaeyama fireflies
Points to note when viewing fireflies
basicallyFireflies hate light.Therefore, do not point your flashlight or camera flash at fireflies.
Insect repellent sprays are also disliked by fireflies, which are insects, and should not be used in areas where fireflies are present.
Please follow the rules and be sure to view fireflies in a firefly-friendly manner!
Flow of Firefly Tour in Iriomote Island
On Iriomote Island, from March to June (depending on the year), tours are held to observe Yaeyama fireflies, which glow only a few hours after sunset.
Especially Iriomote Island is an island where more fireflies can be seen than other Yaeyama Islands.
Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow
(1) Transfer to the field in the guide's car
Yaeyama fireflies are said to inhabit wetlands, especially where mangrove jungles have formed upstream.
fireflysA few hours after sunsetThe light will glow in the evening. Depending on the time of year, you may only be able to see it for as little as 30 minutes, so drive to the spot shortly before sunset.
Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow
(2) Walk to the point
Fireflies are very sensitive to other lights.
In places where streetlights and car lights reach them, the fireflies may stop emitting light or not emit light in the first place because they are overwhelmed by other lights. Therefore, we trekked to their habitat in the jungle.
Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow
(3) Arrival at firefly spot
After about 10 minutes of wandering through the jungle, you will arrive at the spot. Soon after you arrive, the fireflies begin to glow.
You will be enchanted by the fantastic dance of light of tens of thousands of fireflies.
Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow
4) Walking through the jungle to the car
The tour begins before 7:00 p.m. and by 8:00 p.m. the fireflies have found their mates and the illumination of the light created by the fireflies is over. We leave the jungle with excitement in our hearts.
One of the attractions of this tour is that you can enjoy the starry sky of Iriomote Island, which is also Japan's first starry sky protected area.Jungle of Iriomote Island different from daytimeYou can also enjoy the
Iriomotejima Firefly Tour Flow
(5) Transportation by car and dismissal
We will take you to Uehara Port in Iriomote Island or to your hotel in the Uehara area.
Many repeat visitors come to Iriomote Island for this firefly viewing tour. Please come and see this unforgettable sight in person.
↓ Learn more about this tour ↓
After seeing the stars on the ground, look at the stars in the night sky!
Just as I was finishing watching fireflies from sunset, I saw a firefly in the night sky.starry skywill be seen at the time of the event.
The starry sky of Iriomote Island is one of the most beautiful in Japan. If you are lucky, you can even see the Milky Way with the naked eye! Because of the clear air, shooting stars are often seen.
↓ Learn more about Iriomote Island Night Tour ↓
↓ Popular plans including starry sky are here ↓.
Ferry tickets must be purchased in advance.
The window on the day of the event will be more crowded than expected!
To get to Iriomote Island, you need to take a ferry from Ishigaki Island. The Ishigakijima Remote Island Terminal, the boarding point, is always crowded, so advance reservation is recommended!
In the past, ferry tickets were paper-based, but now they are 3 dense avoidance andPre-purchase is the most common way to prevent infection.now. On the day of the event, simply present the e-mail (QR code) received at the time of reservation to board the ship.
The total number of users will exceed 50,000 in 2023!
Advantages of pre-purchase are also presented!
Click here to purchase ferry tickets.
summary
There are few places in Japan where fireflies can be seen year-round like Iriomote Island. Especially during the tours held from March to June every year, tens of thousands of Yaeyame fireflies glow in a swarm,A rare sight that can only be seen in the Yaeyama IslandsThe company can hope to
In addition to firefly watching, Iriomote Island offers various ways to enjoy the night at each spot, such as sagaribana (only available in summer), which blooms only one night, jungle exploration at night, and tasting the star-filled night sky.
Please join the night tour when you come to Iriomote Island.
↓ Learn more about Iriomote Island Seasonal Tour ↓
Summer Sagaribana Tour is here ↓↓.
↓Click here to read the article.
