In early June I had the chance to visit the Nakagawa Seiryu Kagami River Firefly Festival!
The event took place at Auberge Tosayama, a lovely inn nestled in the mountains about 15 km north of downtown Kochi City—roughly a 30-minute drive.
The festival was held over eight days, from Saturday, May 31st to Sunday, June 8th.
There are several spots to view fireflies in Kochi, and I had tried twice before in other locations, but didn’t have much luck. So honestly, I wasn’t expecting too much this time…
But—they were there! Gently fluttering with soft, glowing lights—real fireflies!!
I was able to spot two species: Genji-botaru and Hime-botaru (Genji and Hime fireflies).
At 8:00 PM, the event organizers give a guided explanation about the life cycle and behavior of fireflies, which adds to the experience.
During the festival period, visitors could also enjoy a discounted day-use hot spring at Auberge Tosayama. You get to enjoy both the onsen and the fireflies!
- Adults: normally ¥800 → ¥500
- Children: normally ¥400 → ¥300
It was such a soothing and magical evening. If you have a chance, I highly recommend coming to see the fireflies next year!
