This species is found under rocks, stones, fallen trees and logs in dense woodlands near small rivers and lakes with clear, cool water (Sato 1943). The breeding season is normally May to early August, but varies depending on elevation. Biannual breeding, summer breeding (May to July) and winter breeding (October to December), is reported in Ishikawa Prefecture, Hokuriku region (Akita and Miyazaki 1991). During the breeding season they congregate at the headwaters of underground streams, and egg sacs are attached to the underside of stones within the underground section of the stream (Akita 1996). A few months after hatching, larvae disperse throughout the stream and complete their development within two to three years. Juveniles and mature adults disperse in the forest outside of breeding season. It is not tolerant of disturbance of its habitat.

After significant taxonomic revision, this species is now known only from the mountains of the southern two-thirds of Honshu in Japan, where it is widespread southwest of a line roughly from Kitakata-shi (Fukushima Prefecture) to Daigo-machi (Ibaraki Prefecture) (Yoshikawa and Matsui 2014). It occurs from 300-2,000 m asl in most areas, but can also be found at lower elevations down to 20 m asl (Ohno 1982), particularly along the coastal region of the Japan Sea. Occurrence of this species at 2,600 m asl is reported in Toyama Prefecture (Ueki 1985). This species is sympatric with O. kinneburi in the Chugoku region of western Honshu (Yoshikawa et al. 2013), and also sympatric with O. fuscus in the southern Tohoku region of eastern Honshu (Yoshikawa and Matsui 2014). It is parapatric with O. intermedius at the northern edge of its distribution (Yoshikawa and Matsui 2014).

This species occurs in many protected areas, including: Nikko, Oze, Joshinetsu, Myoko-Togakushi-Renzan, Chichibu-Tama-Kai, Fuji-Hakone-Izu, Chubu-Sangaku, Hakusan, Minami-Alps, Yoshino-Kumano and Daisen-Oki National Parks and Echigo-Sanzan-Tadami, Myogi-Arafune-Sakukogen, Tanzawa-Oyama, Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama, Wakasawan, Yatsugatake-Chushinkogen, Chuo-Alps, Tenryu-Okumikawa, Ibi-Sekigahara-Yoro, Suzuka, Muro-Akame-Aoyama, Biwako, Hyonosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan, Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku and Nishi-Chugoku-Sanchi Quasi-National Parks. 

There are no conservation programmes in place, but it is designated as a Natural Monument of Hakone Town, the type locality of the species.