The Japanese wagtail (Motacilla grandis) is a species of bird in the pipit and wagtail family Motacillidae. It breeds in Japan and Korea. Vagrant birds have been recorded in Taiwan, eastern China and far-eastern Russia. In Japan, it is generally common from Kyushu northward, but uncommon in northern and central Hokkaido. It breeds near human habitation in hilly countryside. It prefers the water's edge on gravelly rivers, ponds, and inland lakes.