Wild Winter in Japan:
Hokkaido Birding Expedition
From:
US$ 10.404 per person sharing
US$ 10.721 per single room
Group size:
6 guests
Destinations:
Kushiro, Rausu & Shiretoko penninsula, Japan
Dates:
1-8. February, 2028
Overview:
Japan is a land filled with ancient traditions, captivating landscapes and wildlife adapted to one of the world’s harshest environments. Join us as we explore the spectacular wildlife of eastern Hokkaido. Sett sail as we take a boat cruise off the coast of Shiretoko peninsula to photograph huge numbers of the world’s largest eagle, Steller’s sea-eagle on drifting ice flakes. Step into a hut before night fall to watch the elusive Blakiston’s fish-owl of Rausu, the world’s largest owl. Watch the iconic Japanese red-crowned cranes dance and call in the Kushiro wetlands, and admire the adaptive wildlife around the many lakes and the coast of Japan.
Hokkaido is Japan’s wild north. This dedicated winter expedition aims to showcase you the snow-covered, frozen landscapes of the many lakes and mountains, and to photograph some of the avian world’s true giants.. With a small group of like-minded you’ll embark on a photographic adventure that lets you experience the raw elements of nature and gives you encounters with some truly impressive bird life of this remote land.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrival in Hokkaido:
Welcome to Hokkaido, Japan! This winter experience starts as we gather at Kushiro Airport around midday. From here we’ll be transported by a private car to the nearby Tsurui Village where we have a chance to observe and photograph the endangered Japanese red-crowned cranes on the very first day. After this we check in to the hotel around 16:30pm. We’ll have dinner together to discuss the coming expedition here in the far north of Japan.
(Please note that we’ll advise closer to the start of the expedition when you should arrive at Kushiro airport. We’ll also announce later what our accommodations for this expedition will be.)
Day 2 - Wildlife of Tsuri:
Wake up early in the morning before breakfast. We’ll head to the Otowa Bridge to photograph red-crowned cranes sleeping in steamy, warm thermal river waters, and if the weather permits it, bathed spectacularly in the golden morning light. After this we’ll head back to the hotel for breakfast. After a well deserved breakfast we’ll explore various locations around Tsurui Village to photograph wildlife until late afternoon. Watch the elegant red-crowned cranes dance and sing in the field. Also be on the lookout for sika deer, red fox and raptors like the ural owl and white-tailed eagle. We’ll be enjoying a dinner when we’re back at the hotel and have time to edit pictures together for a night’s rest.
Day 3 - Photography around Lake Kussharo:
Wake up for an early breakfast. We’ll depart our hotel around 08:00AM to photograph more red-crowned cranes in Tsurui village. After which, we will be heading to the undeniably beautiful and scenic Lake Kussharo, where we will spend time photographing graceful whooper swans swimming in the last light of the day, spectacularly back-dropped by distant mountains boarding the lake. In the afternoon we’ll head back to our accommodation where we’ll have the remaining day to relax or to go through all the content that we’ve captured. We have time to edit photos together before we’ll enjoy a dinner together.
Day 4 - Lake Kussharo & Lake Mashu:
Early in the morning we will spend some time together at the shore of lake Kussharo to photograph whooper swans bathing in the early morning light. We’ll head back to hotel to enjoy breakfast. Afterward we’ll have a full day around Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu. Photographing the swans on Lake Kussharo as they rest and bathe in natural steaming, thermal pools on the edges of the lake. Also you will enjoy landscape photography at Lake Mashu, one of the most beautiful caldera lake in Japan and Mt Iou, an active volcano where hot steam escapes from the Earth through 1,500 fumaroles of various sizes. Return to our hotel in the afternoon for a well deserved dinner and a night’s rest.
Day 5 - Nemuro & Notsuke Penninsula:
After breakfast we’ll depart the hotel around 08:00AM as we’ll journey to Nemuro, stopping by at the unforgettable Notsuke Peninsula. Here you will be thrilled by large herds of wild sika deer, perching raptors and hopefully red foxes as we drive by the frozen oceans and smooth undisturbed snow fields. Check in at our new hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 6 - Rausu:
In the morning at 08:00am, we will depart hotel and be photographing around the frozen water of Lake Furen area. Then we will head north towards Rausu and the Shiretoko peninsula. We’ll be stopping for any wildlife opportunities along the way such as Steller's Sea Eagles, White-tailed eagles. In the afternoon we’ll settle in at our hotel before we head over to an observation hut. Here we’ll photograph the world’s largest owl, the enormous Blakiston’s fish owl, from 17:00-22:00. We´ll eat dinner before we head to the hide. We need to be ready before darkness as we don’t wanna disturb the owl when it’s fishing in front of us and we capture this rare raptor of Japan.
Day 7 - Shiretoko Penninsula:
Today we’ll have an early morning as we take a boat cruise off the coast of Shiretoko to see the sunrise over Kunashiri Island. Be amazed as we observe and photograph the world’s largest eagle, the Steller's sea-eagles in flight, at a very close proximity to our boat. During winter several hundred birds gather at the coast of Shiretoko. We’ll photograph these giant raptors as they soar high above, swipe down to catch fish and be painted in the golden morning light. They’ll also be joined in the company of the white-tailed eagles which also gathers in large numbers here. This will be true highlight of our expedition. After a successful morning we’ll then head back to our accommodation for a well earned breakfast and some time to empty memory cards and re-charge our batteries. After a well-earned rest, we’ll go out again to explore the local area while looking for perching eagles and red foxes. In the evening, we’ll visit the Blakiston’s fish owl observation hut from 17:00-22:00. Dinner will be served back at our hotel.
Day 8 - Departure:
We’ll take one more eagle photography cruise for another change to capture some more images of the Steller's sea-eagles & White-tailed eagles in flight. After we’ve returned for breakfast at our hotel, will head to Kushiro airport. Once we’ve been dropped off at the airport our incredible winter expedition in Hokkaido has come to an end as we make our flight home.
Tour highlights:
Photographing the iconic Japanese red-crowned cranes in the Kushiro wetlands and Tsuiri.
Two boat trips to photograph huge numbers of Steller’s sea-eagles and white-tailed eagles off the coast of Shiretoko.
Photographic opportunities at a hide for the rare Blakiston’s fish owl.
Explore the lakes of Kussharo and Mashu.
Photographing wildlife in a winter landscape.
Included:
All accommodation on twin sharing
English speaking guide and tour leader.
All transport between the destinations.
Transport from and to Kushiro airport.
Breakfasts and dinners.
Two shared boat cruises.
Two Blakiston’s fish owl hide photography session.
All entry fees to sites, activities listed in the itinerary.
Excluded:
International and domestic flights.
Tipping.
Travel insurance.
Visas and vaccines.
Excess baggage charges.
Lunches.
Drinks.
Laundry.
Telephone calls.
Anything else of a purely personal nature.
Difficulty level: Easy to moderate. This tour is not demand in terms of a physical level. We’ll get around by transport and stop at the different spots. This takes place during the winter, so expect cold weather and low temperatures in the morning and evenings.
