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Hotaru hunting

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June 30th 2012
June is "hotaru" (firefly) season in Japan. I have never seen a firefly before, and so I was quite excited to join a local group this evening on a firefly hunt around the local paddy fields after dark. I went to a local community hall around 6.30pm, for a short lecture on fireflies by a retired science teacher. I didn't understand too much of the talk, given that it was all in Japanese, but ... read more

Asia » Japan » Nagano » Takagi

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In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more