Hotaru
Hotaru is a firefly in Japanese.
In Japanese folklore there are many beautiful stories related to hotaru. Studio Ghibli animation movie "hotaru no haka", Grave of the fireflies, referred to them. Famous chapter of Haruki Murakami 's book "Norwegian Wood" also told about the nostalgic and symbolic meaning of the firefly.
These days it is hard to find hotaru in cities like Tokyo, because of pollution. They are often found near clean rivers in summer time. They cast a glow in their bodies, and live only a short time.
In a sense it could be said that hotaru is similar to sakura in Japanese culture. Hotaru's glow lasts only a moment.
In Hotaru no Haka animation, young girl Setsuko and young boy Seita struggle during the firebombing in Tokyo, in the second world war. In one of the scenes, they escape the bombing and live in cave. Their only pleasure is to play with fireflies. Their glow is so beautiful in the darkness, and they fall asleep while watching them. But in the morning, they discover that fireflies died, and Setsuko makes a grave for them.
Hotaru is like a human soul in Japan, something that casts a faint glow just a short, passing moment.
