You will find some cute wild animals in various places in Japan.
Many Japanese artists have created various iconic, andadorable fictional characters based on the animals that are native to Japan.Japan seems to be a place where native species looks like it wants to hug you tightly due to their nature.Irrespective of their loveable nature,you shouldapproach them with proper caution. So, here is a list of adorable Japanese animals you must see while traveling in Japan.
“Ezo Naki Usagi”, inspiration for famous Pikachu character:
“Ezo”, the historical name of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, are very cute wintery critters. It is also named “Hokkaido crying rabbit”. They belong to the rabbit family and are regarded as“Pika”. probablythey are the inspiration for the famous Pokemon character named“Pikachu”. They live in the mountains of “Hokkaido” and make their homes by burrowing in the crevices ofthe rock. The name“Hokkaido crying rabbit”came from their distinct high-pitched calls.
“Shima Enaga”, cute all-white bird:
They are known as“long-tailed tit”. These birds live inthe Hokkaido region in Japan. The Japanese “Shima Enaga”has an all-white head.
“Red Fox”, believed to be possessing supernatural power:
The “red fox” is found in most of the Northern Hemisphere region. You will observe two subspecies of Red fox in Japan: “Vulpes vulpes japonica”, seen throughout Japan, and “Vulpes vulpes schrencki”, seenin the Hokkaido region. Japanese believe that foxes possessa “kitsune spirit”, and they are capable of assuming human forms. These“kitsune fox spirits” were relatedto the “Shinto god of rice”, “Inari”, who is depicted in the fox form. They believed that foxes have various supernatural powers.
Tanuki, fond in various Japanese folklore:
They are also known as the “Japanese Raccoon Dog”. You will observe this animal in numerous Japanese folklore, anime art, video games, and manga. They look like“North American raccoon”. The word “Tanuki” also comes from the word “raccoon”. However, the Japanese species is different from other varieties.
Ezo Momonga, famous for attractive eyes:
They are known as the “Nihon Momonga”, which means“Japanese dwarf flying squirrel”. Because there is a bigger version of flying squirrel in Japan. The little one is called “Ezo Momonga”.The most attractive part is round, big, cute eyes. You will find them in many Japanese video games. They are found throughout Japan and prefer to hide in little nooks inside big trees.
Snow Monkey, the polite primates:
The snow monkeys are also known as “Japanese macaques”. They are foundup in the “mountainous ski resort” areas in Japan.They are found playingin natural hot springs to keep their body warm. They are generally peaceful animals and do not mind humans watching them or clicking their pictures. For their polite nature, over the years, they have become a tourist attraction in Japan. They possess innocent and carefree nature. However, they possess some human-like personalities too.
So, if you love animals, visit Japan once to observe those cute animals.
