The head and back of this small perching bird are olive-green, the throat may be bright yellow, and the belly is pale green or grey. It has a prominent pale white ring around each eye, for which it is named in both English and Japanese.
One of the native species of the Japanese islands, this bird has been depicted in Japanese art on numerous occasions, and historically was kept as a cage bird.
In 2018, molecular DNA evidence convinced scientists to combine this species with that of the warbling white-eye, by which name the Japanese white-eye is now officially known.
