Even those who don't like insects are fascinated! "Nawa Insect Museum," full of artistic insect specimens that will tickle your intellectual curiosity.

​The Nawa Insect Museum is a place where you can enjoy the beauty of mysterious insects from all over the world while maximizing the appeal of insects. It is located in Gifu Park, about 10 minutes by car from Gifu Station, and is one of Gifu's representative tourist spots.

More than 100 years after its opening in 1919, the beauty and playfulness of its display methods are still popular today.

This time, we would like to introduce the attractions of the insect museum, which is full of attractions that even people who don't like insects can enjoy!

Next to the gate is a colorful insect panel that catches your eye.

If coming from the parking lot through Gifu Park, this insect panel is a landmark.

Since it is at the foot of the mountain, there seems to be a lot of real insects in the area...

102nd year of opening!
Western-style building from the Taisho period in Gifu Park

Gifu Park stretches at the foot of Mount Kinka, with Gifu Castle towering at its peak. The Nawa Insect Museum is a nostalgic Western-style building located in the south of the park.

The Nawa Insect Museum is an insect museum established by the late Mr. Yasushi Nawa, a scholar who discovered the endemic species of Japan, the Gifu butterfly.

It is also famous as Japan's oldest extant museum dedicated to insects, and is a museum that attracts a lot of attention for things other than insects.

More than 300,000 animals of 12,000 species are held.
About 1,000 species and 3,500 animals are exhibited in the museum.

And for cat lovers, the irresistible point is in front of the museum! You might be greeted by friendly cats.

Below the admission fee is a sticker of Gifu Prefecture's mascot character, Minamo! In Gifu Prefecture, it is distributed to stores that are implementing measures to prevent new corona infections.

In order to protect the eggs of insects from foreign enemies, the surrounding trees were covered with nets. Before winter they are moved to warmer places. What a love for the insects.

Impressive, educational, and fun!
Exhibition room that will keep you excited

Welcome to the beautiful insect world!

As soon as you enter the museum, the artistically arranged specimens of insects catch your eye.

Stop by the beautiful blue morpho butterflies and specimens of rare insects from around the world.

Also pay attention to the colorful overseas butterflies above the entrance!

Super exciting! Kabuto and stag beetle corner

There are many Kabuto (rhinoceros) beetles and stag beetles that are very popular among children. However, it's not just specimens that are lined up.

Wow! ! You can watch the live kings of beetles move up close and carefully.

The "Hercules giant horned beetle," which competes to be the world's largest, is powerful even when alone!

There was also the world's longest "Giraffano stag beetle" with its characteristic large jaw. In addition, you can also observe rare species such as "Rainbow stag beetle" and Japanese species such as "Ookuwagata" (giant stag beetle.)

*Because it is a living creature, it may not be displayed depending on the timing.

A lively specimen that is as good as any other. They seem to be ready to jump out at any moment!

Various stag beetles are lined up with a lot of ingenuity so that they can be observed from all directions.

The three horns are cool! The "Caucasian beetle" is said to be the strongest in the world.

The Beetle and Stag Beetle Corner is currently being newly remodeled, but the panels with introductory text and other information are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. A new quiz exhibit is also on display!

The enormity is also obvious at a glance.

Goliathus Otsuno Hanamuguri, the largest species of Hanamuguri. The indescribable heavy feeling is attractive.

Insects are said to arrive in a hard state with their limbs folded and tightly curled when they are transported from overseas. Soak them in warm water and take them out when it is neither too hard nor too loose. The best timing is when their joints pop when you extend the limbs. We're impressed with the skill that the experienced researchers can do.

Fascinated by beautiful butterflies...

Further back is the "Gifu butterfly" corner!

"Gifu butterfly" was named after the discovery by Mr. Yasushi Nawa (the first director of this  museum). In addition to various exhibitions, they also raise insects.

Every spring, newspapers and television report on the emergence of Gifu butterflies, and the beautiful Gifu butterflies are exhibited for a certain period of time in cages.

Mr. Tetsuo Nawa, the fifth director

Director Nawa says, "If I hadn't met this butterfly, I wouldn't be doing my current job." He talked about the difficulty, fun, and charm of catching the "Miyama Karasu Swallowtail (Papilio maackii)" flying on the butterfly path.

The indescribable green glow is exactly the beauty of Japan.

It is not only butterflies that are beautiful!

Here is another beautiful ......

"moth"!

There are such beautiful moths overseas.

As it is said to be a flying jewel, the jewel beetle is also beautiful.

In addition, there are scarab beetles, the world's largest cicada, and the world's rarest and strangest insects, such as the walking jewel known as the Kaburimodoki ground beetle.

Are you healed somehow? ! Familiar insect corner

We would like you to take a commemorative photo in the same pose as the praying mantis.

There are interesting bees in Japan too.

If you think it's a stem... it's the longest stick insect in Japan, "Amami Nanafushi".

In addition, we were surprised that there were various mysterious insects that we did not know.

Playful! Popular "hidden exhibition series"

The hidden exhibition series is installed in unexpected places such as walls and pillars in the museum.

If you are interested, open the wooden lid!

But you can only open it after reading the message. Whether you see it or not is up to you. You might scream and close the lid in a hurry?

We are looking forward to seeing what kind of insects you will find.

These wonderful butterflies were also hiding!

There are 13 hidden exhibitions on the 1st and 2nd floors. Please look for it and experience the excitement.