On the Expedition

Trace the life cycle of an endangered butterfly to help manage grassland habitats at the foot of Japan's iconic volcano.

Working either at the base of Mount Fuji, or in grasslands along the nearby Fuji River, you will systematically search for either Reverdin's blue adults or larvae. You will capture adults with a butterfly net, mark an identification number on their wings, and collect data on their behavior, condition, and location. When sampling larvae, you will search their food plants to find caterpillars and record data on their location and the presence of symbiotic ants that tend to this species. This is a rare opportunity to see the world-renowned Mount Fuji, the symbol of nature in Japan, from many perspectives. A recreational day in the middle of the expedition allows time for visiting museums and other cultural attractions, or perhaps even climbing the mountain itself.

Meals and Accommodations

Your team will stay in a typical Japanese-style house with tatami (woven straw floor) rooms accommodating three volunteers each, part of a modern resort hotel. The house has hot showers and flush toilets, and you will be furnished with a toothbrush set (including hand towel and toothpaste) and yukata (traditional Japanese robe) for your comfort. The hotel offers laundry, and wireless internet in the lobby. Meals will be a combination of Western and Japanese-style cuisine, prepared by the hotel, with box lunches to enjoy in the field or noodles at a restaurant near the field site.

About the Research Area

Mt. Fuji is historically a relatively new, active volcano. It developed from the seafloor into Japan’s highest mountain through roughly four eruptive periods over the last 500,000 years. Surrounded by historically and geologically old highlands such as the Misaka Mountains and the Tenshi Mountains, with the Fuji Five Lakes among them, the area is representative of Japan’s scenic beauty. The Fuji River, which is the largest river in Yamanashi Prefecture, runs south through the Misaka, the Tenshi and the South Alps Mountains. Geologically speaking, this is the oldest area impacted during the glacial period.

All of Japan’s grassland environments are human-managed whether by controlled burning or mowing. These manmade natural areas are becoming scarcer and the grassland species living there are becoming endangered. The Butterflies of Mt. Fuji teams will closely observe these kinds of endangered grassland plants and animals. Moving between the research sites, it will be possible to enjoy beautiful Mt. Fuji and its surrounding natural environment from many different perspectives, and to experience the historical and altitudinal variations in the natural environments of Yamanashi Prefecture.