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<\/p>\nHave you ever seen fireflies in Kyoto?
\nThe image of flying fireflies is typical summer night for Japanese.
\nThey usually inhabit only near the clean stream so it gets hard to see them these days.
\nHowever Kyoto is exceptional!
\nYou can enjoy to see blinking light even stay in the city.
\nFireflies fly from June to the early July, especially around the end of June.
\nIt is the good time to see them from sunset to 8:00 p.m.
\nThe number of them get fallen over 9:00 p.m.
\nThis time we\u2019d like to share about the culture of fireflies.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, bug haters are everywhere in the world including Japan, but there\u2019s another
\nside of Japanese culture where we actually adore insects and bugs.
\nGuess how much we adore insects.
\nFor typical Japanese summer holiday fun, boys go into the bush to catch crickets and beetles to
\nbring them home as pets.
\nOn Internet auction sites, some rare beetles and stag beetles are priced from about 800 dollars
\nto sometimes 2.5 million dollars!
\nEven though adult insect collectors most often buy these bugs, beetles and stag beetles enchant
\nboth the young and old. (Mothers often hope that these bugs will not become permanent
\nresidents in their houses)
\nNot only for boys and men, for most Japanese, summer hasn’t officially begun until the songs
\nof the cicadas are heard.
\nNeither has begun without song of the bell crickets.
\nJapanese people enjoy insect noises as \u201csoothing\u201d or \u201ccomfortable\u201d in their culture.<\/p>\n
Often described in Japanese literature and used in song themes imitating of a soul out from a
\nbody or the image of love because of their beautiful light.
\nOne researcher said there is a story those who perished became fireflies, so for Japanese,
\nfireflies are cultural insects for both people\u2019s memories and records.
\nWe thought people at that time sympathized easily because fireflies inhabited near the village
\nsame as butterflies and dragonflies.
\nHowever, today, more than just firefly “watching” has been harming.
\nPollution and urban development are a big threat to these luminescent insects,added to the new
\nbusiness of reselling fireflies for private gardens in hotels and restaurants.
\nIt might be a good chance to see them if you have chance to see.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Path of Philosophy is well known for watching cherry blossoms though, it is easy to access
\nlocation for visitors. However the path along the river is nalow and unclear.
\nPlease be careful to explore the path.<\/p>\n
Address:
\nShikagaya Honenin Nishimachi, Saky\u014d-ku, Kyoto
\nAccess:
\n6 minute walk from Ginkakujid\u014d bus stop on City bus #5 or #17 from JR Kyoto st.
\nAdmission Fee:
\nNothing
\nPeak:
\nFrom early June to middle<\/p>\n
The Hotarubi no Chakai, or \u201cTea Ceremony by Firefly Light\u201d, has been held aat Shimogamo
\nShrine eaach June since 1991.
\nOn this night hundreds of the blinking insects are released over the stream in the Tadasu no
\nMori, allowing visitors to enjoy a classic summer night filled with the soft glow of fireflies.<\/p>\n
Address:
\n59 Shimogamo Izumigawa-ch\u014d, Saky\u014d-ku,Kyoto
\nAccess:
\nNear Shimogamo jinja mae bus stop on City bus #5 or #17 from JR Kyoto st.
\nDay & Time of Tea Ceremony by Firefly Light:
\nJune 9th (Sat.) 13:00~21:00
\nAdmission Fee:
\nNothing
\nPeak:
\nFrom early June to end<\/p>\n
The 14th Hotaru Night will held from early June.
\nThe park houses many specimens and plan to release over the stream.
\nIt offers free shuttle bus from Uji City Hall to the park on Saturdays and Sundays during the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
Address:
\n25-1, Hironoch\u014d hachikenyadani, Uji city, Kyoto
\nAccess:
\nNear \u201cShokubutsu K\u014den (Botanical Park)\u201d bus stop on \u014cbaku Uji \u014ckubo 240 line by Keihan
\nBus from Keihan Uji St.
\n15-minute walk from JR Uji St. to North Side Parking Lot at Uji City Hall, then take the free
\nshuttle bus from there
\nAdmission Fee (Park):
\nAdult 360 yen (Older than 15), Junior High School and Elementary School Student 180 yen
\nDay&Time:
\nMay 24th(Fri.) ~June 9th(Sun.) 16:00~21:30 (Entrance available until 21:00)
\n*Mondays Off<\/p>\n
You should receive such local information of Kyoto by an application “KoI APP”.
\nWith this application, even if you don\u2019t have Wi-Fi, you can find nearby stores and so on.
\nYou can install the application from the following URL.<\/p>\n