Kyoto, a popular destination for foreign tourists. During my visit, I came across a rare and fantastic creature!

The other day, while out with my boss, I was walking up the hill from Kyotanabe Station when I spotted something shiny at my feet.
From its luster, it looked like a lure used for fishing.
I stared at it, not knowing what it was, and my boss immediately said, "It's a jewel beetle! I was really surprised! I was really surprised!
I couldn't believe it at first because I had an image of tamamushi as a phantom insect.
I looked it up and found that we were looking at a species called "Yamato tamamushi," which is a large insect. They are much larger than we imagined.

Speaking of tamamushi, the tamamushi kitchen is famous.
It is one of the most famous treasures on display in the Great Treasury of Horyuji Temple.
It is said that it got its name from the use of tamamushi wings for decoration.
Since it is a craft from the Asuka period, unfortunately few of the wings remain today.
It is said that replicas have been produced many times in an attempt to reproduce the condition of those days, and they emitted very vivid colors.
(Reference: Asahi Shimbun) http://www.asahi.com/culture/news_culture/OSK200803010095.html

Tamamushi changes color depending on the angle you look at it: green, red, yellow, purple, and blue. They are sparkling and really beautiful, just like peacock feathers.
It was the first time for me to encounter an insect and be so moved by it. I want to see them again because I think something good will happen when I see a jade bug!
 I returned it to a safe place in a tree afterwards.

As I was talking about this in the company, an employee in his 50s told me a story about the time he saw a tamamushi.
He said that the last time he and his older brother, who was with him at the time, saw a tamamushi was when they were in the early grades of elementary school, when they were clinging to the wall of a neighbor's house in Osaka City.
There was a time when you could see tamamushi in Osaka City.
I grew up in the countryside of Shikoku, but this was the first time I had seen a tamamushi!
Have you ever seen a rare insect? (^_^)If you have, please let me know!
See you again in my next blog!