People in the bustling town of Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, won't have to go out into the countryside to see fireflies this season — plenty of the lightning bugs will be buzzing around on the rooftop of JR Hakata Station until June 14.

Planning for the summer "hotaru" (firefly) season, the building management firm released around 500 firefly larvae into an artificial habitat with a pond and trees on the rooftop in March.

"I saw fireflies for the first time in my life and I was really surprised how beautiful they were," said Mika Sunami, 31, an office worker who lives nearby.

Her 4-year-old son, Makoto, was also excited to see the lightning bugs.

"I'm going to draw fireflies when I get back home," he said.