Japanese squirrel
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
Japanese squirrels gnaw around walnut shells with their teeth to crack them open.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Japanese squirrel
- Scientific name
- Sciurus lis
- Japanese name
- ニホンリス
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Sciuridae
- Genus
- Sciurus
It balances with its long, fluffy tail, which helps it climb up and down trees skillfully.
It does not hibernate; to have food for the winter, it buries food in the ground and other places to store it.
How the Japanese squirrel lives
They are active during the day. They eat seeds, buds, flowers, and fruits. They are mostly solitary, but adults may nest together, especially in winter.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
- Size
- Head and body length: about 20 cm
- Diet
- Nuts such as walnuts, seeds, fruit, mushrooms, and small animals such as insects
- Range
- Honshu and Shikoku, Japan
Where the Japanese squirrel 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
- ニホンリス
- 简体中文
- 日本松鼠
- 繁體中文
- 日本松鼠
- 한국어
- 일본청서
- Español
- Ardilla japonesa
- Français
- Écureuil lis
- Deutsch
- Japanisches Eichhörnchen
- Português (Brasil)
- Esquilo-japonês
- Italiano
- Scoiattolo del Giappone
- العربية
- سنجاب ياباني
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Bajing jepang
- Tiếng Việt
- Sóc Nhật Bản
- Русский
- Японская белка
- Türkçe
- Japon Sincabı
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — ニホンリスChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Sciurus lisChecked: 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 squirrel, look for this
- Look for the long tufts on the tips of the ears in winter.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
上野動物園EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Japanese squirrel
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Sciuridae
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