Japanese mole
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
The Japanese mole senses what is behind it using whiskers on its short tail.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Japanese mole
- Scientific name
- Mogera wogura
- Japanese name
- コウベモグラ
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Talpidae
- Genus
- Mogera
This mole lives in Honshu from the central region southward, Shikoku, Kyushu and other islands, and it is bigger than the small Japanese mole.
The mounds of soil it pushes up while digging are called molehills. They are often seen in autumn and winter, when it moves deeper to prepare for the cold.
It keeps a territory and lives alone, and it does not hibernate. It eats earthworms and other creatures that wander into its tunnels.
How the Japanese mole lives
It spends most of its life underground. It patrols its underground tunnels and repairs damaged parts. It also eats insects, soil centipedes, leeches, frogs and plant seeds. It gives birth mainly in spring.
多摩動物公園Basic data
- Size
- Head and body length: 125–185 mm
- Weight
- 48.5–175 g
- Diet
- Insects, earthworms, centipedes, leeches, frogs, plant seeds, and other foods
Where the Japanese mole has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- コウベモグラ
- 简体中文
- 小缺齿鼹
- 繁體中文
- 小缺齒鼴
- 한국어
- 큰두더지
- Español
- Topo del Japón
- Deutsch
- Großer Japanischer Maulwurf
- Italiano
- Talpa giapponese maggiore
- Русский
- Японская могера
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 多摩動物公園 — コウベモグラChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Japanese mole, look for this
- Look for its broad front feet with sturdy claws.
- Look for its velvet-like fur, which can lie either forwards or backwards.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
多摩動物公園EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Japanese mole
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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