Japanese Hare

Japanese Hare

Lepus brachyurus

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Tokyo

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

12 Verified sightings at Tokyo
June Best month

About the Japanese Hare

The Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) is a species of hare endemic to Japan. In Japanese, it is called the Nousagi (Japanese: 野兎), meaning "field rabbit". Coenraad Jacob Temminck described the Japanese hare in 1845. The specific epithet (brachyurus) is derived from the Ancient Greek brachys meaning "short" and oura meaning "tail".

The four subspecies of this hare are recognized: L. b. angustidens, in northern Honshu and on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu L. b. brachyurus, on the Pacific side of northern Honshu, in Shikoku and Kyushu L. b. okiensis, on the Oki Islands The Japanese hare is reddish-brown to dark brown-grey and variable amounts of white on the head and legs. Its body length ranges from 45 to 54 cm, and it has a body weight of 2.1-2.6 kg (4.6-5.7 lb). Its tail grows to lengths of 2-5 cm and its back legs are 12-15 cm long. The ears grow to be 7.6-8.3 cm long. Its front legs can be from 10-15 cm long.

In areas of northern Japan, especially the island of Sado, the Japanese hare loses its coloration in the autumn, remaining white until spring, when the brown fur returns. They change into their white winter coat from... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sendai 🇯🇵 Japan
~30%
2 Tokyo 🇯🇵 Japan
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Japanese Hare in Tokyo?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Japanese Hare sighting in Tokyo on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 10th most-seen of the 11 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Japanese Hare in Tokyo?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Japanese Hare in Tokyo on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Is Tokyo the best place to see a Japanese Hare?

2nd of 2

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Japanese Hare sightings, Tokyo ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Sendai (Japan, about 30%).

Where does the Japanese Hare sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Japanese Hare is recorded against all the mammals logged in Tokyo (12 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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