Itinerary

February 2 USA / Nagoya, Honshu, Japan

Depart USA on your independent flight to Nagoya.

February 3 Nagoya

Arrive late afternoon in Nagoya and check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

February 4 Nagoya / Kagoshima, Kyushu / Kirishima

An early-morning flight takes us to Kagoshima, on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu. From Kagoshima we drive through wooded hills into the Kirishima-Yaku National Park. Here we visit the ancient Kirishima Shrine and local waterfalls for our first taste of Japan’s fascinating blend of culture and nature and walk in the beautiful mature laurel forests around Lake Miike to observe wintering waterfowl. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Kirishima.       

February 5 Arasaki Crane Reserve, Izumi

This morning we drive through the cultivated lowlands of southwest Kyushu on our way to Arasaki. The fallow rice paddies around the coastal village of Arasaki are the site of a spectacular winter gathering of Asian cranes. The sights and sounds of the massed ranks of about 12,000 hooded and white-naped cranes make this one of the most powerful wildlife experiences one can hope for, and a photographer’s dream. Overnight at our hotel in Akune for the next two nights.     

February 6 Arasaki Crane Reserve

With a full day to concentrate on the cranes, we explore the Arasaki area, visiting the main concentration of cranes again, of course, and hoping for a clear dawn to enjoy their mass departure from the roost. After breakfast we seek out family parties in the surrounding fields, and hope for portraits of adults and juveniles. We have time to focus on different aspects of crane behavior and to look for any unusual additions to the crane flock and for other wintering birds.  

February 7 Izumi / Shirakawa-Go, Takayama, Honshu

Today we leave rural Kyushu in southern Japan for the snowy mountains of central Honshu. We pass through areas of green tea groves on our way first to Kagoshima Airport then fly back to Nagoya’s “Centrair” Airport. From here our coach takes us to Gifu Prefecture to visit the village of Shirakawa-go, located in an isolated, steep, mountainous area of the Sho River Valley in the Chubu mountain range.

This 1966 World Heritage Site showcases the unique architectural style (called Gassho-Zukuri) of the houses that resemble “praying hands,” their steeply-pitched roofs like steepled fingers. Some of these gable-roofed houses rise four stories high and accommodated up to 50 people. We visit in the late afternoon as darkness falls to see the houses magically illuminated. Overnight in Takayama.  

February 8 Takayama / Jigokudani

This morning we explore the historical town of Takayama, visiting local saké breweries, miso stores, and local crafts shop before continuing by road through the Japan Alps and via Matsumoto to Jigokudani in the mountains of central Honshu. It is here that we have the extraordinary opportunity to watch and photograph the snow monkeys, though more accurately these particular monkeys are the “hot-spring monkeys.” We arrive in time for dinner at our delightful hotel. Quiet simplicity and style are its hallmarks; its attractive and artistic interior is matched by its delightful garden. With its own onsen (natural thermal spring) we are be able to emulate generations of Japanese people (and the monkeys) as we enjoy a relaxing and therapeutic soak in the mineral waters. The views from the baths to the snowy outdoors are wonderful—suitably rounding off our days. We overnight for the next three nights at Kambayashi Onsen.

Feb 9 - Feb 10 Jigokudani

Jigokudani is a steep-sided valley set amid forested mountains. Its name, which translates to “Hell Valley,” comes from the gushing steam spring here. The sun arrives late to this valley and leaves early, so after breakfast we walk along the gently contoured mile-and-a-half trail to the viewing area. Here we spend a leisurely day observing and photographing the two local resident troops of Japanese macaques as they feed nearby and soak in their very own hot pools. We also keep a lookout for the shy and elusive Japanese serow, an ecological equivalent of the North American mountain goat, and birds such as the brown dipper and alpine accentor.  

February 11 Jigokudani / Kushiro, Hokkaido

Today we drive across Honshu and then fly from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Kushiro. Arriving in eastern Hokkaido, more wildlife spectacles await—huge numbers of Japanese cranes, flocks of mist-enshrouded whooper swans, magnificent Steller’s sea eagles—and we have the possibility of encountering Eurasian red squirrels, sika deer, and red fox. Overnight at our hotel in Tsurui-mura for the next three nights.

Feb 12 - Feb 13 Kushiro Region

Although Hokkaido is at about the same latitude as southern France, prevailing winds from Siberia transform this northern island into a snow-filled wonderland in winter. Our goal is to observe and photograph the tall, red-crowned, or Japanese, cranes, the largest and most northerly of the cranes in Japan. We should expect to see flocks of 100 or more of these magnificent birds at ranges down to just 30 feet or less. Greeting ceremonies and courtship dances involve leaps and pirouettes, posturing, and trumpeting cries. Such behavior can be infectious, spreading through the flocks in waves, and oftentimes dozens of ecstatic cranes are leaping and trumpeting in a thrilling display.  

Feb 14 - Feb 15 Akan National Park

Our next location, though not far from Kushiro, is an entirely different setting— the volcanic scenery of Akan National Park. The Kawayu area is geothermally rich, and we are presented with a variety of visually stunning subjects: steaming sulphuroles, Hokkaido’s most scenic crater lake, and flocks of vociferous whooper swans gliding among the steam and morning mist. In the evening we retreat to our delightful lakeside hotel for a gourmet meal.  

February 16 Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula

Today we drive to the fishing port of Rausu, on the Shiretoko Peninsula, another of Japan’s World Heritage Sites. This rugged, mountainous finger of land attracts good numbers of white-tailed eagles and Steller’s sea eagles, truly immense birds, half again as big as the bald eagle. Weather permitting, we visit the edge of the sea ice by boat and lure these impressive raptors with fish scraps. Over 2,000 of them winter on Hokkaido. Tonight we stay at a local inn overlooking the sea.

February 17 Shiretoko Peninsula / Yoroushi

We have a second opportunity to visit the eagles and, weather-permitting, greet the sunrise and the eagles at the ice edge. Following breakfast we continue our explora-tion of eastern Hokkaido, first along the Shiretoko Peninsula for more views of winter wildfowl and raptors, and to watch for foxes, deer, and seals. Sightings of Steller’s sea lions and harbor seals are possible, and we also look out for sea-urchin harvesters. Soon we must leave Shiretoko behind and head south to our accommodations inland at Yoroushi. Our architecturally modern inn has feeders busy with birds, a superb hot spring, and delightful artwork. Overnight for the next two nights at Yoroushi.

February 18 Yoroushi / Akan And Notsuke

Our base lies a little to the east of Akan National Park, allowing us to explore the very different scenery of the southeast coast of Hokkaido, where there are more chances of encountering herds of deer, wandering foxes, and wintering swans, ducks, and raptors. Time permitting, we also visit the workshop of a local wood-block printer.

February 19 Kushiro / Tokyo

After breakfast and our last chance to watch birds at the feeders outside our lodge, we complete our circuit of eastern Hokkaido as we drive back to Kushiro for our flight south to Tokyo. We will pause for our last glimpses of cranes and our last views of Kushiro marsh before saying farewell to Japan’s wildest island, Hokkaido. Overnight at our hotel in Tokyo with a special farewell dinner.

February 20 Tokyo / USA

Board your independent international flights and re-cross the Date Line to arrive back in the USA on the same day. Connect with homeward flights.

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