Flora and Fauna in the Kyushu mountains and forests
Making discoveries and experiencing
new species of plants, animals and Fungi is always exciting. Due to the
temperate climate the environment in forest and mountains varies a great deal
over the course of a year and you will find different species depending on when
you choose to head out on the trails.
Below are some of my favourite
things that I have seen first hand in the mountains. I will update this as I
go. If you notice anything incorrectly identified please let me know.
Where possible the photos have been taken by me in most cases however there are
some that I have used from Wikipedia.
Birds: Japan has some wonderful birds. I have seen the Japanese woodpecker
(Picus awokera) and the national bird of Japan the Green Pheasant (Phasianus
versicolor) as well as numerous birds of prey and cranes. However due to a lack
of equipment I don't really have any interesting pictures. You can look here for more information on the
variety of birds in Japan.
Wild flowers
The forests in Kyushu are colourful
places. Not only do you get the vast array of different tree species but there
are also numerous flowers to discover.
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Higanbana (Lycoris radiata)
"Red spider lily" |
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| Daffodil (Narcissus) |
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| Butterfly flower (Iris japonica) |
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| ?? |
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| Rhododendron are everywhere in the highlands of Kuju |
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| Rhododendron still in bud form |
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| Rhododendron in bright red |
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| Cherry blossom "Sakura" (Lycoris radiata) The iconic flower of Japanese spring time |
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Hydrangea
"Ajisai" The Japanese rainy season flower |
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| Chinese Rampion (Campanula punctata) hotarubukuro |
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| Evening primrose (Oenothera glazioviana) |
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| Lupine (Lupinus) |
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| Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus) |
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 | Miyama Kirishima
(Kyushu Azalea) |
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 | | Pulsatilla koreana (Pasque flower) |
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Insects and bugs
Japan has a lot of insects and
bugs. In the summer you will be plagued by the mosquitos and horse flies.
However there also some bugs that are genuinely impressive such as moths
and butterflies which tend to be far larger than their European cousins.
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| Japanese Dung Beetle (Geotrupes auratus) Oosenchikogane |
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| Cyrestis thyodamas mabella |
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| Cicada larvae |
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| Japanese Cicada, evening cicada (Tanna japonensis) |
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| Japanese giant mantis (Tenodera aridifolia) |
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| Blue Japanese dragonfly |
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| Yellow Japanese dragonfly |
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| Not a bug exactly but part of a hive of bees or hornets. |
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| Japanese moon moth possibly (Actias gnoma) |
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| Japanese moon moth (Actias gnoma) |
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| Japanese giant (Killer) hornet (Vespa simillima) "suzumibachi" These are huge and feed on Japanese bees. Their sting is dangerous to humans although from experience they are generally not interested in people all that much. |
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| Hover fly (Syrphidae) Despite their appearance they are harmless and quite cute. |
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| Red Helen butterfly (Papilio helenus nicconicolens) |
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Animals and creatures
The forests and mountains are home
to many other animals. Reptiles and amphibians are relatively easy to spot and
photograph. Mammals are generally far more aware and leave the scene as soon as
detected. I have seen a good number of different creatures however I have been
unable to capture all of them. My tip is to stay quiet and tread lightly,
however you should also have caution as you don't want to startle a mother wild
boar into taking a defensive stance.
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| Yama-gani "Mountain crab" (Chiromantes haematocheir) They are abundant in Japan. Try hiking in wet weather and you can't miss them. |
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| Japanese common toad (Bufo japonicus) |
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| Another common toad (Bufo japonicus) A very different colour palette |
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| Inoshishi Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax) The young boar are very cute but watch you for mummy in the spring! |
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| Tanuki "Japanese racoon dog" (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) I have only seen once at Taradake in Saga |
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| Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) |
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| Long tailed grass lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus) |
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| Japanese Deer Shika (Cervus nippon) |
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| Mamushi up close in Unzen |
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Fungi and Mushrooms
Japan has diverse and fascinating
range of species of Fungi and Mushrooms. They are one of my favourite things to
hunt for in the Mountains while hiking. Identification can be very difficult
however as there is little written in English. Thankfully I found a wonderful site which is worth checking out if you are having trouble
identifying Fungi. Rather than identify the exact species instead I have
labelled only the likely genus.
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| Russula |
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| Bolete |
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| Phallales |
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| Boletus |
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| Amanita |
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| Ganoderma |
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| Agaricales |
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| Amanita |
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| Amanita |
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| Giant puffball Calvatia gigantea |
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| Lepiota |
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| Hydnellum |
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| Trametes |
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| Ghost plant (Monotropa uniflora) not actually a Fungi but instead is a tree parasite |
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| Lepiota |
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 | | Ghost flower or Indian pipe |
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 | Phallus indusiatus
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 | Phallus indusiatus, with white skirt
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Trees: The body of the forests
Trees are backbone of the forest.
They regulate the microclimate and different trees give their respective
forests very different atmospheres. Below are some of the trees and forests I
love walking in.
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| Bamboo : Take (Bambuseae) is everywhere in Japan. One of the best things about hiking in a bamboo forest is the sounds of bamboo knocking into each other and creaking as they sway in the breeze. |
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| Japan is famous for its beautiful Autumn colours. The Japanese acer maple (Acer palmatum) is loved for its wonderful red leaves. |
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| Coniferous woodland is generally a lot younger. It is often managed for commercial forestry. It has a wonderful pine smell just after some rain. |
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| The Japanese cherry blossom is just as famous as the Japanese Maple. In the spring people enjoy picnics under the trees. |
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| Another cedar tree |
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