Hime firefly flying at Kehichi Temple, Kochi Prefecture

Fireflies are divided into two main groups based on their habitat: the Genji and Heike fireflies, which are aquatic fireflies, and the Himehotaru, which live in bamboo and mountain forests as land-dwelling fireflies. These are the terrestrial fireflies that fly in Kochi Prefecture from the beginning of May to the end of June, when they move from the lowlands to higher elevations and roam the satoyama and forests at night. Kehi-ji Temple, located in Yamakita, Kagami-cho, Konan City, Kochi Prefecture, is officially known as Iwashimizuyama Kanshokuin Kehi-ji Temple, and the temple is a designated cultural property of Konan City. The temple is a designated cultural property of Konan City. It is said to have been founded by the monk Gyoki in 725. Three statues are enshrined in the temple: a standing wooden eleven-faced Kannon statue, a wooden seated Dainichi Nyorai statue (in the Vajrayana world), and a wooden seated Dainichi Nyorai statue (in the Tainzang world), all of which are nationally important cultural properties. Keichi-ji Temple, 4475 Yamakita, Kogami-cho, Konan City, Kochi Prefecture At night in early summer, after sunset, one by one, the fireflies begin to flash and fly around the temple grounds. The peak time is one hour after sunset (the candles are staged), and the mysterious fireflies collaborate with the Jizo statues that have lined the temple grounds since the Kamakura period (1185-1333).