Enter the Rhinoceros beetle – Asia’s popular pet
When you think of pets, you may think about a fluffy cat sleeping on a bed or a happy dog grabbing its lead nudging you into taking him for a walk. You may even think about that angry hamster you had as a child whose mission in life was to escape and become king of the rodents. Perhaps, like me, you owned a horde of fancy rats who were anything but fancy, stealing the ham from your sandwich when your back was turned, only to realise a butter sandwich remained.
I spent ten years of my life working for one of the largest pet retailers in the UK. I learned a lot about our furry or scaly friends, whom we often call family. I saw the love and money that go into our animal companions. Family comes in all shapes and sizes, and the term fur baby has certainly earned its place in our mainstay vocabulary.
The same holds true across Asia, where towering skyscrapers define city skylines and apartment living is the norm. With homes often on the smaller side, many people cannot enjoy the company of larger pets or pets at home, which helps explain the popularity of animal cafes in places like Japan. The love for animals is strong, but sometimes our living spaces simply cannot stretch to fit a furry friend.
Pets come in all shapes and sizes, each finding a unique way into our lives and hearts. Today, I want to celebrate an unlikely companion: the Rhinoceros beetle, or Dynastinae. Not long ago, I guided my students through a kanji lesson, inviting them to select a single character that would capture the spirit of their 2025, much like Japan’s tradition of choosing a kanji for each year. As students shared their thoughtful selections, one choice caught my attention: 'Mushi,' the character for 'bug.' When I asked about this, the student shared that their beloved Rhinoceros beetle had died over the winter, leaving them with a deep sense of loss.
This experience reminded me that no matter how big or small our pets are, their passing is hard and often painful. I also lost a furry member of my family last year, and it was extremely hard for me as I was halfway across the world and never had the chance to say goodbye. This student was like me. The year had brought about many amazing things, but the loss of a pet that you held so dearly often becomes the memory that defines the year.
The Rhinoceros beetle may strike many as an odd choice. Reptiles in the UK are considered exotic; often chosen by adults or professionals whose focus is on a specific reptile. When I worked at the pet store, we also dealt in reptiles, but sales of these were generally slower and infrequent. In Japan, it is common and often highlighted in slice-of-life anime as the norm. Young children spend their summer fishing or hunting for bugs with nets, described by many as a phase people grow out of. Perhaps now, in this age of screens and digital entertainment, these memories will be less accurate for most. But for many Japanese people, memories of bug hunting will be nostalgic, especially for those in rural prefectures.
During the long, sweltering Japanese summers, children eagerly hunt for the largest, most impressive beetles, hoping to raise them into champions and pit them against rivals in spirited battles. The Pokémon franchise, one of Japan’s most iconic exports, draws inspiration from this beloved pastime. Suddenly, it all clicks: the thrill of catching, nurturing, and battling beetles mirrors the quest to become a Pokémon master. This connection comes alive in the character of Heracross, the rhinoceros beetle Pokémon, who joins Ash early in the anime as a tribute to this tradition.
In Japan there are stores dedicated to selling everything a child could need to become the very best at beetle raising. These items are very cheap perfectly fitting the pocket money budget. These shiny strong beetles are easy to keep making them perfect for a young trainer looking to spend summer training and caring for their newfound crawling friend.
Some fun facts include the beetle’s strength; Rhino beetles are very strong and capable of lifting 850 times their weight. This places them in the running for strongest animal in comparison to size. There are beetle wrestling matches in local villages, in my prefecture there are also similar matches in a nearby village. However, these matches are for a certain 8 legged large creepy crawly which I’d prefer not to name in fear of one falling onto my desk. Beetles are harmless to humans they cannot bite or break a human’s skin. The males have large horns on their heads which are used for battles for mates, these horns are hollow. They are related to the dung beetle and the Hercules beetle which is the largest beetle on earth. They communicate via a selection of sounds which also include squeaking sounds.
The sad fact being adult beetles only live a short life of a few months so often one’s tale of beetle raising comes to an end quickly. Perhaps why it tends to be a summer pastime which is fleeting and often outgrown come adulthood. But none the less this beetle found its way into the hearts and imagination of many children in Asia. Pets come in all shapes and sizes, they may hold only a few months in our lives, but their memories often live on for a lifetime. In memory of Shrimp the best bunny and friend I ever had.
