Common in traditional literature and a symbol of the Japanese summer, fireflies have special cultural significance in the land of the rising sun. Early in the evening, Genji and Heike fireflies delight people gathered to watch them illuminate and fly along local streams. The ephemeral display—firefly season only lasts between late May and early August—seems to end too quickly. The firefly is used as a metaphor in popular Japanese songs which mark the end of a ceremony, event or even the end of the year.
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