Home infestation in Japan and what to do about it

Cockroaches or gokiburi are something that everyone living in Japan will inevitably encounter. They appear during the hot and humid summer months between April and September. Cockroaches are generally considered an indicator of uncleanliness and even though they love dirt and garbage as breeding and feeding grounds, encountering a cockroach in Japanese houses does not necessarily mean there is already an infestation or that the environment is unclean. Nonetheless, it is better to get rid of them as fast as possible, because where there is one there will be more. 

The famous myth of cockroaches being able to survive a nuclear fallout is not unjustified. They are breathtakingly resilient. Being able to survive for 9 days without a head, 40 minutes without air, and several weeks without food, they breed hundreds of their kind within days, and in the case of the Japanese gokiburi, their ability to fly makes them seem like a supernatural species of the bug world. So if one of these little creeps shows up, one should remember that they can carry at least 33 types of bacteria, six kinds of parasites, and seven pathogens and take immediate action.

To get rid of them, throwing them out the window might not be the best solution. They enter houses for food waste and water and might enter again in no time. Squashing or burning them is a way to do it, but even though they don´t release their eggs when stepped on as many fear, they are very tough and might not be as dead as they seem. 

When in doubt and to avoid a full-blown infestation, residents should use special sprays and traps targeting cockroaches. Examples are the Gokijet and Raid Max spray, which kill the roach immediately, and the Goki Barrier spray, which can be sprayed around the house to prevent them from entering. 

Two alternative methods are Roach Motels, little boxes in which cockroaches get stuck to a poisonous glue, and probably one of the most effective means, Roach Traps as Gokiburi Hoihoi and Combat Roach Station. These traps lure cockroaches to poisoned bait, which is carried to the nests to start a chain reaction of extermination. This kind of poison bait is preferable to exposed poison bait around the home because the hidden bait inside the trap does not endanger children and animals. Nevertheless, anything poisonous poses a risk to humans and animals and should therefore be used responsibly.

Probably the last weapon of choice before calling a professional is to use a bug bomb or varsan (バルサン). It literally gasses the home requiring residents to leave the space for 3 or 4 hours, just make sure to ventilate and vacuum the home thoroughly afterward.

Besides cockroaches, another silent and underrated creep and cause of infestation is the Japanese bedbug or tatami mite called dani. Even though they don´t pose a great risk to health, they bite humans at night and are very hard to get rid of. Usually, they can be found in cheap hostels or other places with changing residents like low-cost hotels or shared housing. They can travel and spread through luggage, clothes, or rental bedding, so it is very easy to carry their eggs unknowingly from one place to another. Their bites are itchy and can cause allergic reactions. Usually, bites and　reminisce of their feces are also the only way to know they are even there. 

To get rid of them, it is very important to wash and vacuum clean any fabrics, bedding, and pillows several times a week. Balconies in Japan are used to hang clothing and bedding but this practice is also a way to kill off dani because of their sensitivity to UV light. 

To be on the safe side, the use of anti-dani spray and dust mite repellents is also recommended. The spray is applied to the bedding after getting up in the morning followed by thorough vacuuming after a designated amount of time. In rare, worst-case scenario where they have already have spread into colonies this must be treated by professional exterminators, but usually using spray and repellents in combination with regular cleansing, should be enough to get rid of them. 

When living or visiting Japan it is also very likely to encounter the Japanese giant hornets called suzumebachi and they are dangerous. They build their nests mostly in mountainous regions but have been spreading to the cities in recent years. 

In 2014 half the emergency calls to the Shibuya Ward Office Public Hygiene Division were in relation to hornets and wasps and the numbers are increasing. The sting of a suzumebachi can be painful at best and even life-threatening, so avoiding them is of the utmost importance. 

Hornet nests can be found on trees, under roofs and bridges, in attics as well as underground. They usually stay close to their nests, so one hornet usually means more. When a giant hornet's nest is found in or around a house, leave the nest alone and call a local division of the Japan Pest Control Association. Suzumebachi contrary to wasps and bees are aggressive and their stings can be extremely harmful to humans. 

Your Ward Office can help guide you if you are unsure about the species, and in the case of a suzumebachi nest, many cities will foot the cost of the extermination because it is a public safety hazard. However, if the process of extermination results in some kind of property damage, repair costs have to be covered on your own or by your landlord. Their most active time is during the mating season from September to October, but they already wake from hibernation in February and will build full-fledged nests by late spring. 

To prevent an attack by a giant hornet it is best to avoid dark clothing while hiking (they tend to attack dark, moving objects), wear long sleeves and trousers, do not run away, and do not swat them away with your hands. 

It is possible to use insecticides such as the Suzumebachi Magunamu Jetto or Hachi Daun spray against a single hornet, but as soon as a nest is located, leave it to the professionals.

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Some people say Japan's Shinto-Buddhist pantheon is so rich with gods, demons, and spirits because every summer nature just explodes with life and creatures in all shapes and sizes. So even if these little gods disguised as creepers and crawlers start coming into one's house to bug, one should uninvite them as respectfully as possible, because one thing is almost certain. They´ll be back next year.