Insects

Japan is home to over 30,000 insect species, and insects are a familiar part of Japanese life. For centuries, staging battles between insects has been a popular pastime in Japan, and Japanese children love catching insects and keeping them as pets. Different seasons have different insect attractions. Summer nights are associated with the faint glow of fireflies. Autumn is known for beautiful insect sounds. Insects were once an important food source in Japan. It is still possible to find people who go hunting for wasps' nests, as wasp larvae are a traditional delicacy. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is insects. By looking at how they are appreciated and what insect-related customs there are, we examine how the Japanese view and enjoy the natural world.