The Institute for Nature Study is a preserve of broad-leafed evergreen forest in their natural state, in the heart of downtown Tokyo. Within a 20-hectare park, the Institute is home to 1,436 species of plant, 2,130 species of insect and 130 bird species.
Research within the Institute for Nature Study is richly varied. Surveys of individual trees are carried out on a regular basis, as are studies of introduced plant species and phenological studies. Data on the living status of rare animals are accumulated through surveys that span many years.