Ryukyu long-haired rat / Diplothrix legata / Kenaga-nezumi / ケナガネズミ
This rodent is the largest rat species found in Japan, with a body 22 to 33 centimeters long and a tail longer than its torso. It is completely covered with hair of varying lengths that can grow to 7 centimeters in places. It is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands, though its nocturnal habits make it a rare sight. Another reason for the rarity of sightings is that the rat spends most of its time in chinquapin oaks in the forest, where it feeds and nests. It is almost all brown with a grayish abdomen, and has a white tip on the tail. Numbers have decreased because of deforestation, and the rat has been designated an endangered species.