SUBMITTED BY HYLA ERNST
For the past three years, our family has been going out in search of new places to view fireflies in Japan. This year’s firefly season for us began last weekend in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, about a 25 minute drive from where we were attending the Mt. Daisen Natsuyama Summer Festival.
If you happen to be in the area during firefly season (typically June), this is a great spot. Here’s the Google Maps pin I dropped in the parking lot. I am adding this information even though Yonago is close to four hours away from Iwakuni because the information was very hard to find and I want to pass on the knowledge. If you are looking for local spots near MCAS Iwakuni, go ahead and skip down to the bottom of the post ;-).
From the parking lot, follow the row of lanterns until it ends. After that, follow the sound of water until you reach a small bridge. There are small stools on the bridge for viewing fireflies or you can walk down the pathway along the water.
HARVEST MOON: HERO OF LEAF VALLEY. Desa Leaf Valley terkenal karena kue nya. Nanti kalo dah sampe taon ke-4 sebelum2nya ada event2 yg menarik. Pilih yang atas gan ada tulisan 'keep playing locally' atau yang gak ada gambar icon facebook atau icon google. HARVEST MOON HERO OF LEAF VALLEY.
When we went last weekend (around 11 PM), the fireflies weren’t as active and were mostly just hiding in the foliage. The best viewing time we’ve found is the first couple of hours after sunset.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to drive hours away to find fireflies. There are PLENTY of firefly viewing spots all over Japan. The picture below was taken two years ago in the mountains near Iwakuni.
We’ve found that the best places to find them are next to moving streams with heavy vegetation. Sometimes you can also find them in rice paddies. This one below was taken along the road last year near Yuu Spa.
Here are some nearby firefly viewing spots:
Iwakuni Minamikawachi District: Website
Three Falls (Futashika Umezu): Website
Kuga: Website
Famous Firefly Viewing/Festivals near Iwakuni
Funotani: Website
Yamaguchi City: Website
Hofu City: Website
Shobara: Website
More locations: Website
Firefly Season: Typically late May/early June
Best time to View: Before 9:00 or 10:00 PM to see them active.
Bring: Tripod (if photographing them), flashlight/head light for walking), extra layers of clothing, and bug spray.
Caution: Some of the spots we’ve visited around Iwakuni were right next to winding roads with little or few street lights. If you decide to go off-the-beaten path and find these little known spots, please be careful!
Harvest Moon PSP: Hero of Leaf Valley ISO Download
Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley (牧場物語シュガー村と皆の願いBokujō Monogatari: Sugar Mura to Minna no Negai?, lit. 'Ranch Story: Sugar Village and Everyone's Wish')is a video game in the farmsimulation series Harvest Moon for PlayStation Portable, developed by Marvelous Interactive Inc. and published in the U.S. by Natsume. It was released on March 19, 2009 in Japan and on April 26, 2010 in North America.
The game follows along the same lines as the rest of the Harvest Moon series, in which the player takes on the role of a farmer whose only goal in the game is to make a profit from the farm he runs. This includes producing crops and raising livestock. Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley includes marriage and more paths to save the homeland, and features the protagonist of Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland.
Story
The player travels to Sugar Village to pick up his grandfather's things after hearing that he has died. He learns that the village will be turned into an amusement park, and encounters three 'Harvest sprites' and the Harvest Goddess, who ask him to stay on the farm and help them. The player then decides to take over his grandfather’s farm and work hard to turn the village around. By choosing different paths, you can find up to 16 ways to save the village.
Download ISO Here!
Sreenshots