守宮

A few weeks ago I was walking to the kitchen and FREAKED OUT when I saw something scurrying across the floor. Thought it was a roach (knock on wood, I've only met ONE in my apartment so far in 15 months...), but it turned out to be this little guy, a house lizard, known as a yamori (守宮) in Japanese. Yamori means "house-protector," which is appropriate since these guys eat bugs. There's one that hangs out on my host family's window at night, near the light, where he can slurp up all the bugs he desires. Mine went under a piece of furniture at first, but a few days later I found him in my sink and chased him into a tupperware container. Took him outside to live the good life.

Yamori is hopefully safe and sated. Go in peace, gobbler of vile bugs.