[6] The male Japanese robin is olive brown from the top of the head to rump, with an orange face and neck, and a grey breast and underside.

The female Japanese robin looks very similar to the male, but their orange and brown color characteristics are much duller and less extensive.

The juvenile Japanese robin also looks very similar to the adult, but has dark spotting on the breast, pale rufous feathers from crown to mantle, and a rufus buff.

[7] The Japanese robin lives in natural habitats such as islands, lakes, mountains, and temperate forests.

More specifically, this species lives in damp, dense, and shady areas such as undergrowth along valleys and streams.

After the 2006 molecular phylogenetic study, the species was placed into a clade under Larvivora, meaning "caterpillar eater," giving it half of its current scientific name.

The Japanese robin can be considered a small songbird; however, it has a single note that is extremely loud at first, but tones down throughout the song.