For 10 days in the summer, the forests of Japan’s Yamagata prefecture are lit up by himebotaru, a type of firefly endemic to the region. Photographer Kazuaki Koseki has attempted to capture the phenomenon in his Summer Faeries series, compiled over a period of eight years. “The spectacle of fireflies flying through the summer forest is like the twinkling of a starry sky,” says Koseki. “That sight is fantastic enough to forget the awe of the night forest.” In recent years, the fireflies’ habitat has been increasingly endangered by deforestation and the tourism industry. “The unpredictability of the fireflies’ trails of light highlights the urgency of our planet’s climate crisis, while at the same time holding a strong and enduring hope for the future.”
English (US)