Japanese hare

Scientific name: Lepus brachyurus

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

A medium-sized hare with russet-brown to grey-brown fur on the back and whitish underparts. Ears are proportionally shorter than in some Lepus species, and hind legs show distinctive darker markings. Males and females are similar in coloration, though females tend toward slightly larger overall size.

Size and weight

Adults weigh 1.8–2.5 kg; body length 40–55 cm. Females typically 200–300 g heavier than males.

Habitat

Japanese hares inhabit grasslands, scrublands, and agricultural areas from lowland plains to montane zones up to approximately 2,000 m elevation. They prefer open to semi-open terrain with scattered vegetation for cover and feeding.

Distribution

Endemic to Japan, found across Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in grasslands, pastures, and agricultural mosaics. Absent from heavily forested regions.

Diet

Primarily grasses, clover, and herbaceous plants; supplemented with bark, shoots, and agricultural crops (soybeans, wheat, vegetables) in winter and early spring.

Behaviour

Crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk. Generally solitary outside breeding season, moving in characteristic bounding leaps across open ground. Relies on speed and zigzag evasion rather than burrows when threatened.

Hunting tips

Look for well-worn trails through grassland and distinctive spherical droppings (8–10 mm) clustered in feeding areas. Scan field edges and scrub margins at first and last light when animals emerge to feed. Approach from downwind in open terrain using available contours and vegetation for concealment; the animal's shorter ears reduce hearing advantage compared to other hares, but eyesight remains keen.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

Japan

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.