A Japanese pika looks vigilant about its surroundings in rocky areas carpeted with brilliant autumn leaves of alpine bearberry, in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, on Sept. 13, 2025. (Mainichi/Daiki Takikawa)=Click/tap photo for more images.
KAMIKAWA, Hokkaido — Japanese pika, small animals that live only in high mountains in Hokkaido, are getting ready for winter on Mount Kurodake.
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Japanese pika are about 15 centimeters long. They are a near-threatened species, which means there are not many left. Pika do not sleep all winter (hibernate). Instead, they collect leaves and nuts and store them in their nests to eat during the cold months.
In mid-September, pika were seen running around the rocks near the top of Mount Kurodake, looking for food. The mountain was covered with colorful autumn leaves.
Photographer Noriyuki Hayakawa said, “I look forward to visiting the area for the rare sightings of naki usagi (pika), along with squirrels and ermines. I’d like to visit there as much as possible during the season.”
The first snow of the season fell on Mount Kurodake on Sept. 21.
(Japanese original by Daiki Takikawa, Photo and Video Department)
Vocabulary
pika: a small, rabbit-like animal that lives in cold, rocky places
hibernate: to sleep for a long time during winter
near-threatened: not many left, but not yet endangered
nests: homes made by animals
ermine: a small animal like a weasel
AloJapan.com