Fire! Fire!

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest of the US, I thought fireflies (or lightening bugs) were made up. The first time I ever saw them in real life was at Tobu Zoo! Suddenly, I really, really wanted to see them in nature.

I've heard that you can see them in certain places in Japan. Suddenly, I found (another) something to put on my must do list!

Not having a car really limited our chances of ever seeing fireflies. But the desire never dwindled. Knowing this, my husband always kept an eye out for where people would report seeing them. Then, one day, he discovered a place where my dream could become a reality.

There is actually a place in Nerima called Nakazato Native Forest that is a firefly sanctuary! They breed fireflies and release them in their little well maintained environment. My husband had to get reservations to go see them.

We showed up right at dusk for the special viewing event. They explained that we would not be able to take any photos. At first I was disappointed by this, but then I realized it was a blessing because I would be able to just focus on the moment.

The event had three stops. We started in the facility where we saw the lifecycle of the fireflies, including eggs. The second station had a couple fireflies in an aquarium. It was really nice to be able to see them so up close. The final stop was the sanctuary.

As soon as we stepped onto the path near the stream, we saw the little bugs flying around. My husband, son, and I all gasped immediately. It was pure magic!

My son was delighted to be told that if a firefly landed on the path, he could pick it up and put it back on a leaf. He quickly became proficient at transferring the bugs.

Watching the fireflies fly around was incredible. I will always remember this special event. While this isn't an "only in Japan experience", it is for me! And I'm so glad this little dream came true.