The pet of choice in Japan, as much as cuddly kitties and playful puppies, is the humble bug. The bug has been a key part of Japanese culture from the Heian era classic The Tale of Genji to popular modern-day manga and animation like Mushishi, featuring insect-like supernatural creatures.

Japanese people appreciate the glitter of fireflies let loose in the garden or the gentle chirping of crickets kept in a little cage. You can feed the bug pets watermelon, but special jelly pet food for bugs is also available at stores. Naturally, bugs are for sale as well, with the more esoteric ones selling for 20,000 yen ($133).

The bug as companion is an essential part of what's observed, enjoyed and cared for in everyday life, reflecting a deeply rooted celebration of humankind's oneness with nature.

They are so tiny. If you catch and study them, you're sure to discover something new, says Munetoshi Maruyama, professor of bioenvironmental sciences at Kyushu University, whose fascination with bugs began as a child, like many Japanese.

They are so beautiful in shape and form.

One thrill that comes from studying insects is discovering a new species, simply because there are more than 1.2 million known kinds of insects, far more than mammals, which translates to a lot of undiscovered ones, said Maruyama, who has discovered 250 new insect species himself and shrugs that off as a relatively small number.

Japan differs from much of the West in encouraging interaction with bugs from childhood, with lots of books written for children, as well as classes and tours.

In Japan, kids love bugs. You can even buy a net at a convenience store, he said. It's fantastic that bugs can serve as a doorway to science.

The love affair with bugs was clear at an exhibit in Tokyo, aptly called The Great Insect Exhibition, which ran through the end of last month at the Tokyo Skytree Town, where crowds of children gathered around trees inside indoor cages so they could observe and touch the various beetles.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.