Venomous Snakes of Japan

Here is a quick list of all the terrestrial and sea snakes in Japan, including those which are known to be venomous and dangerous marked with an asterisk (*).

If you need to IDENTIFY a Snake from Japan – Click HERE.

VENOMOUS SNAKES IN JAPAN with *

Achalinus formosanus – Formosa Odd-scaled Snake
Achalinus spinalis – Peter’s Odd-scaled Snake, Japanese Odd-scaled Snake
Amphiesma concelarum – Miyako Keelback
Amphiesma ishigakiense – Yaeyama Keelback, Yaeyama Water Snake
Amphiesma pryeri – Pryer’s Keelback Snake, Ryukyu Water Snake
Amphiesma vibakari – Japanese Keelback ( A. v. vibakari ), One-day Snake ( A. v. vibakari )
Calamaria pavimentata – Collared Reed Snake, Miyara’s Collared Reed Snake ( C. p. miyarai )
Calamaria pfefferi – Pfeffer’s Reed Snake, Miyako Pygmy Snake
Cyclophiops semicarinatus – Ryukyu Green Snake
Dinodon orientale – Oriental Odd-tooth Snake
Dinodon rufozonatum – Banded Red Snake
Dinodon semicarinatum – Ryukyu Odd-tooth Snake, Loo-Choo Big-tooth Snake
Elaphe carinata – Taiwan Stink Snake, King Rat Snake, Chinese Keeled Rat Snake
Elaphe climacophora – Japanese Rat Snake, Japanese Green Rat Snake
Elaphe conspicillata – Burrowing Rat Snake, Japanese Forest Rat Snake
Elaphe quadrivirgata – Japanese Four-lined Snake, Japanese Four-lined Ratsnake
Elaphe taeniura – Beauty Snake, Cave Racer
Emydocephalus ijimae – Japanese Egg-eating Sea Snake, Ijima’s Turtle-headed Sea Snake
Gloydius blomhoffii* – ( subsp. blomhoffii ) Japanese Mamushi, Mamushi
Gloydius tsushimaensis* – Tsushima Mamushi, Tsushima Island Mamushi
Hemibungarus japonicus* – Japanese Coral Snake, Amami Coral Snake ( H. j. japonicus )
Hydrophis cyanocinctus* – Asian Annulated Sea Snake, Banded Sea Snake
Hydrophis melanocephalus* – Slender-necked Sea Snake, Black-headed Sea Snake
Lapemis hardwickii* – Hardwicke’s Sea Snake, Spine-bellied Sea Snake Seasnakes
Laticauda colubrina* – Yellow-lipped Sea Krait
Laticauda laticaudata* – Black-banded Sea Krait
Laticauda semifasciata* – Broad-banded Blue Sea Snake
Liopeltis herminae – Sakishima Green Snake
Lycodon ruhstrati – Formosa Wolf Snake , White Banded Wolf Snake
Opisthotropis kikuzatoi – Kikuzato’s Stream Snake, Kikuzato’s Brook Snake
Ovophis okinavensis* – Ryukyu Island Pit Viper, Okinawa Pit Viper
Pareas iwasakii – Iwasaki’s Slug Snake , Iwasaki’s Snail-eating Snake
Pelamis platurus* – Yellow Bellied Sea Snake, Pelagic Sea Snake
Protobothrops elegans* – Sakishima Habu , Elegant Pit Viper
Protobothrops flavoviridis* – Habu , Okinawa Habu , Yellow-green Pit Viper
Protobothrops tokarensis* – Tokara Habu, Tokarahabu
Rhabdophis tigrinus* – Yamakagashi, Japanese Garter Snake, Tiger Keelback
Sinomicrurus macclellandi* – MacClelland’s Coral Snake