Oyanma - King of the Dragonflies

Japan's largest dragonfly, the oyanma, reigns over streams and rivers as if the skies were its personal kingdom. It patrols back and forth along fixed routes, always returning to the same spot. Children have long known this secret: wait patiently, and the oyanma will come back to you.

Catching one is no easy feat. Once in hand, it thrashes with powerful wings and bites with surprising strength - a reminder of the raw energy hidden in the insect. Watching an oyanma glide low over a mountain path or hover above the water is likely seeing a living guardian of summer.