6 best places to see fireflies in and around Tokyo

Yomiuri Land amusement park has been breeding and raising fireflies to help conserve the species since 2009. This summer, you can watch genji botaru fireflies in June and heike botaru fireflies in July illuminate the beautiful Hana Biyori garden after dark, with the display running until July 1.

Hana Biyori is open from 10am, but the fireflies viewing time is from 7.40pm until 9pm (8.30pm on weekdays). 

A Hana Biyori ticket (¥800) and a separate Hotaru Biyori ticket (¥400) are required for admission.

Adachi-ku's brilliantly named Park of Living Things brings back its lunchtime firefly-watching event, which takes place on Saturdays and Sundays in June. Observe the magical dance of these symbols of early summer up close, and be sure to take the chance to visit the park's wide range of other displays, including the large greenhouse with dozens of butterflies, a glass tunnel where kids can observe Japanese insects and a corner with tropical fish, reptiles and other animals.

The event takes place from 1pm to 4pm. A session is held every 20 minutes.

Explore Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo's garden and you’ll find yourself surrounded by hundreds of twinkling fireflies. Cross the garden’s vermillion Benkei Bridge and listen to the soothing sound of the waterfall and the garden’s singing cicadas – a classic Japanese summer soundscape.

The breathtaking mix of the garden’s artificial ‘sea of clouds’ and the magical glowing fireflies will make you forget you’re in the heart of Tokyo. There are about 600 fireflies fluttering about from mid-May to the end of June, including Genji and Heike species.

The garden is free to visit, but it's only open to hotel guests, who can roam around the premises at their leisure. If you're not staying the night, just dine at any of the hotel restaurants. This year, there's also the Firefly Evening Dinner Buffet in one of the hotel's banquet halls, which is available until June 30.

It's not quite a Japanese summer without fireflies. Come see them at Setagaya's very own Firefly Festival which attracts a respectable 25,000 visitors every year. At the heart of the festival is the spectacle of approximately 3,000 fireflies released in a dome tent at the Setagaya Daikanyashiki parking lot. As dusk falls, watch these curious bugs illuminate the evening with their gentle glow.