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Hokubo Hotaru Park
北房ほたる公園Okayama · Chugoku
北房ほたる公園 sits on the Bitchu River in the Hokubo district of Maniwa City, at the centre of a firefly display the local tourism association calls the finest in Japan for its scale — the swarm runs for several kilometres along the river rather than staying at one bank. All three of Japan's common firefly species live along this stretch: Genji, Heike and Hime, staggering the viewing window from early to late June. The wider Hokubo area was named one of the Ministry of the Environment's 'Furusato Ikimono no Sato Hyakusen' (100 Villages of Native Flora and Fauna).
- Best season
- Summer
- Early June to late June (Genji, Heike and Hime firefly season, annual recurring window)
- Crowd level
- Hidden gem
- Admission
- Free.
Today
FreeHow to get there
About 10 minutes by car from Kitabo IC on the Chugoku Expressway. By public transport, roughly 35 minutes by bus from JR Mimasaka-Ochiai Station to the Ashibe stop, then about 15 minutes on foot.
Tags
fireflynatureriver
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