The Azumi shrew is a small shrew of Honshu's high mountains. Its back and belly have distinct colors, and it is thought to move beneath dwarf pines and among rocks and moss.
Its back is gray-brown to brown, while its underside is yellow-brown. The boundary between the two colors is distinct.
In alpine habitat it moves beneath dwarf pines and over ground covered with rocks and moss, feeding on insects and spiders. One litter of six young has been recorded.
IUCN Red List · Least Concern (LC) · Global
Japan's 2020 national assessment classifies it as Near Threatened (NT); Toyama Prefecture's 2025 assessment lists it as Data Deficient (DD).