Dragonfly Sanctuary Park

This conservation area near the Shimanto River supports over 60 dragonfly species, including Japan's largest, the oniyanma, with a body length of around 10 centimeters, and one of the country's smallest, the orange-tailed midget at around two centimeters. Visitors walk past ponds, flower fields, tree groves, and a working rice paddy where dragonflies naturally reduce insect pests, limiting the need for pesticides. The butterfly dragonfly, with large iridescent blue wings, skims the pond surface in summer. An adjacent aquarium displays 300 fish species, and a museum holds insect specimens from around the world.