Looking for information on mole activity in Tokyo

Hey guys

I’m hoping to get some local insight regarding mole (Talpidae) presence within Tokyo’s urban ecology.

For context, I’ve been an independent mole observer for over a decade. While I’m not currently affiliated with a university, my background includes informal field research across suburban Europe, parts of rural Honshu, and several post-industrial green belts where mole populations persist under high human density. I keep detailed logs on soil displacement patterns, seasonal tunneling behavior, and surface emergence indicators (primarily mound morphology and moisture content).

I’ll be spending extended periods on foot around West Tokyo and nearby ward-adjacent green spaces, so I’m curious whether moles are known to inhabit these areas or if Tokyo’s infrastructure suppresses them entirely. I’m particularly interested in:

• Early-morning ground movement

• Repeating soil disturbances near tree lines or older retaining walls

• Any anecdotal sightings, even if brief or dismissed at the time

One additional area of interest which is admittedly speculative, but grounded in prior observation: Is there the possibility that urban moles may be co-opting existing underground infrastructure? In several cities I’ve studied, tunneling patterns appear to align unnervingly well with older utility corridors, drainage systems, and in one case, a disused tram line. Given Tokyo’s layered subterranean environment, I’ve often wondered whether moles here are not so much avoiding transit infrastructure as learning its rhythms, adjusting burrow depth in response to vibration cycles, and using quieter intervals between train passages to expand territory. I don’t suggest this as established fact, only as a line of inquiry that has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

I want to stress that this is purely observational. I do not interfere with burrows, introduce bait, or attempt direct contact. Observation, documentation, and respectful distance are core to my practice.

If anyone has noticed unusual ground activity, recurring soil patterns, or even just had the sense that “something was moving underfoot,” I’d be grateful to hear about it. Many encounters go unnoticed simply because people aren’t trained to look for them.

Thank you for your time, and I appreciate any serious responses.