Are you interested in volunteering for animals in Japan? Volunteering at animal shelters is one of the most heartbreaking yet rewarding activities I have taken part in. I am a massive dog lover, and I first volunteered at an animal shelter when I was about 10 years old. During my last year in college, I…
Saving the Cats of Amami Oshima Island
Amami Oshima cats live on an island between Kyushu and Okinawa, blessed with hot weather, white beaches, beautiful sea, corals, and a tropical forest with unique fauna and flora. In 2021, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, it is lesser known for its “feral cat management plan,” a euphemism for culling cats that…
6 Japanese Dog Breeds That Are Natural Monuments of Japan
Japanese dog breeds such as Akita or Shiba have gained popularity beyond the frontiers of Japan. But did you know some Japanese dog breeds are classified as “Natural Monuments of Japan?” This article was kindly provided to Kokoro Media by our partner the German-Japanese Association in Munich (Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft (DJG) München), and was originally published in the association’s…
Why We Should Protect Japanese Bears and Their Home
Eli Sooker is a New Zealand-born nature conservationist. After working for some time in his home country, he started exploring the world on his own and ended up living in Japan. There, he discovered aspects of Japanese nature which people do not often talk about. He also became involved in local bear conservation. In this…
Petting Beetles: The Strange Love of Japanese People for Insects
You may be one of the numerous people who have spent long lockdown hours playing the Nintendo video game hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If so, the hobby of insect collecting, and the sound of cicadas have become familiar to you. But did you know this is directly inspired by the Japanese’s peculiar relationship with…
Discover Japan’s National Parks and Nature Conservation: Interview with a Picchio Eco Tour Guide
Seeing Japan’s beautiful nature should be a top priority for every visitor. The best way to do this is to drop by one of Japan’s 30 national parks. This experience can be enhanced further by joining a locally guided tour. In this article, I’ll introduce Picchio, a company providing nature tours in Japanese and English…