Enjoy an evening stroll at "Tsukiyono-Hotaru no Sato", a 3-minute walk from Jomo Kogen Station, Gunma!

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  • Experience Gifu
Image courtesy of Minakami Town Tourist Association
Did you know that just a 3-minute walk from Jomo Kogen Station in Gunma Prefecture is a spot where countless yellow lights dance in the night sky, creating a fantastic view? In this article, we will introduce "Tsukiyano Firefly Village," a very popular place for evening strolls among locals and visited by many tourists from far and wide.

Jomo Kogen Station, the gateway to Minakami Town, famous for its hot springs

Located approximately 65 minutes from Tokyo Station in an area rich in nature, Jomo Kogen Station is the gateway to Minakami Town, where you can experience the changing of the seasons firsthand. The station is famous for the natural water produced by the construction of the Ooshimizu Tunnel and the hot spring resorts scattered around the station. The "Minakami 18 hot springs (Juhatto)," 18 hot springs with different qualities of spring water, are one of the most popular destinations not only for domestic tourists but also for inbound visitors.
Jomo Kogen Station Station Building

Let's visit "Tsukiyano Firefly Village," a 3-minute walk from Jomo Kogen Station!

A three-minute walk from the west exit of Jomo Kogen Station, up the hill in front of the station, you will find a spot with rice fields and swamps. In this area, you can observe "naturally occurring" fireflies up close during the period from mid-June to mid-July every year. The proximity to the station is very attractive.

The area is called "Tsukiyano Firefly Village" and was selected as one of the "100 Best Hometown Ikimono no Sato" by the Ministry of the Environment in 1989, which is a very precious area. In Minakami Town, four types of fireflies can be observed, including genji botaru and hayake botaru. Genji fireflies have the characteristic of glowing with a "piker-piker" sound at intervals of about 4 seconds, so be sure to observe them.
Fantastic light shines in the sky. Image courtesy of Minakami Town Tourist Association.

Watching fireflies at "Tsukiyono-Hotaru no Sato

When and where are fireflies usually seen and in what kind of weather? I will tell you how to view fireflies!

You can view them on the Tsukiyono Yudo trail, which is about 2 km around and takes 40 to 60 minutes (depending on the course) Fireflies begin to fly from the area in front of Gakurinji Temple on the south side when the best time to view them is in mid June, and in the latter half of the season, many are seen near Sawairisawa on the north side, after or before it rains. Fireflies can be seen flying around in the late afternoon after rain or before it rains, when the temperature is high (20°-25°), hot and humid, and dark.

Also, be careful when viewing fireflies, because they are very sensitive to light. Fireflies are very sensitive to light. They do not like the light from flashlights or cell phones. If you shine a flashlight directly on the fireflies, their eyes may be damaged and they may not be able to fly.

Recommended spots in Minakami Town

In addition to firefly-watching, there are many other outdoor activities available in Minakami. Recommended spots to visit in summer include Mt. Tanigawa, where the opening of the mountain is held every July, and water activities such as rafting down the clear waters of the Tone River. We hope you will experience them when you visit Minakami Town!
Tanigawa-dake (Mt. Tanigawa), known as one of the top 100 mountains in Japan Image courtesy of Minakami Tourist Association
Enjoy nature by rafting. Image courtesy of Minakami Tourist Association
This time, we introduced "Tsukiyono-Hotaru no Sato" where you can see fireflies near the station. Why don't you go for a walk to "Tsukiyono-Hotaru no Sato" after having dinner at a ryokan? It will surely be a memorable part of your summer vacation!
For train + accommodation "Gunma area" reservations, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
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