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Torikawa Hotaru no Sato (Hotaru School)
鳥川ホタルの里（ホタル学校）Aichi · Chubu
鳥川ホタルの里 covers the whole of Torikawa-cho in eastern Okazaki, long affectionately called 'Tokkawa,' where wild Genji fireflies gather in numbers that regularly exceed 1,000 on peak nights in mid-June — the 'Hometown Japan' spring-water designation the area holds (平成の名水百選) is part of why the population stays this strong. In April 2012 the town converted its closed elementary school into 'Hotaru School' (ホタル学校), a base for the conservation programme and for environmental-education visits, with the old schoolyard used as parking during the season.
- Best season
- Spring · Summer
- Late May to late June, peak mid-June (Genji firefly season, annual recurring window)
- Crowd level
- Hidden gem
- Admission
- Free to view the fireflies. The former-school building operates as a facility, 9:00-17:00 March-October and 9:00-16:00 November-February.
Today
FreeHow to get there
About 15 minutes from Okazaki-Higashi Interchange on the Shin-Tomei Expressway. No public transport reaches Torikawa; the former schoolyard opens as parking during the firefly season.
Tags
fireflynature
Location
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