Ugh, that second picture (first post) is just...*shudders* it reminds me of a spider. I can barly type that word with out shuddering. I'm deathly afraid of spiders, don't know why, I just am. I've seen some pretty nasty spiders where I live, like a wolf spider and a huge nasty black son of a bitch, it was about as big as a woman's fist (not kidding; that was the first spider I actually screamed and ran from, usually I just freeze up). Ew, hornets. I see bees and shit around here, honey bees I could care less about, but hornets *shakes head*, I'll take the long way if I see one. It sounds like when I go to Japan I should carry bug spray around with me, haha. Does anyone know of any nasty spiders in Japan, people have to worry about? (Post pics if you can, pics don't bother me.)

hmmm, as far as I know spiders aren't a huge problem in Japan. Of course there are many of them, but I think there's only one really poisonous one: the Redback Spider.



It seems one of the more common spiders in Japan is the "golden orb weaver"
Which aren't lethal, but still poisonous.

Any more insects? These are very interesting...

Dude.... You're brave. I would have left Japan, right after burning down my house if that happened to me.

I'll post more as soon as I find them.

Thank you very much. And, the red... Something... Spider? Is that native to Japan, or is it an exotic species?

The suzume bachi or giant hornet are definitely something to be wary of. They get particularly upset around the color black, so try not to wear black clothing when in the mountains. They are very fast so you cant outrun them, and if you find one, just get away as fast as you can. Although their size is such that you dont need me telling you that.

The centipedes will bite you, but after 18 years of living in the sticks I have never been bitten. Stepped on one in my bare feet though. Felt like stepping on a gummi bear.

Also be careful of black bears. Not exactly insects, but they are around and dangerous. Best way to prepare for them is to carry something like a whistle or anything that makes a lot of noise - although I guess screaming might accomplish the same thing. Other dangerous animals are mamushi, or japanese vipers. Never seen one in the wild, and monkeys. You would think that monkeys arent dangerous, but they will get pissed if you look them in the eyes and might attack you. And the inushishi or wild boars are said to be dangerous. Ive seen them enough times, but have never been attacked.

it seems it somehow came over to Japan on a plane. Don't know exactly how.


thanks for all that info, especially the tip about black clothes, I'll make sure to remember that one.

Oh my that is huge!!! :O

I don't mind bugs and insects, but that might have to go in my "things I don't like" list lol

Japan is crawling with bugs. The most famous ones are the rhinoceros beetle and the giant sawdust beetle. Kids love these things, and they sell them in pet stores (and sometimes the 100 yen shop).

My first experience with Japanese bugs was when I moved into my apartment and found it infested with huge cockroaches. I bought poison traps which got rid of them, but I hated sharing my apartment with them for the first couple weeks I was here.

The next experience was with a huge gray spider which moved in a few months later. It was as big across as my hand, but it was super fast, and I had a hard time trying to get close enough to kill it. I managed to vacuum it up one day, but it got out of the vacuum cleaner somehow. I finally cornered it one day behind my tv and smacked it with a shoe.

I saw this bug flying through the air when I was walking through the park one day, I have no idea what it is, but it was as big as my hand.