There are probably many people thinking,“What kind of animals are there in Hokkaido?” “I want to have an encounter with wild animals in nature.” In this article, we will introduce Hokkaido’s wild animals directed at your liking towards nature, animals and living creatures.
A tour with Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company is recommended if you would like to increase your chance of having an encounter with Hokkaido’s rare wild animals. Some of the reasons include:
・We have many connections with tour guides all around Hokkaido
・Our guides who are well-informed about Hokkaido can introduce the most
suitable plan
・We provide flexibility when it comes to meeting our customer’s requests
We can do the above because we are a travel company that specializes in Hokkaido. Furthermore, our dedicated staff will support your entire trip, so you can have peace of mind even if you are traveling abroad for the first time.
Table of Contents：
Hokkaido is a Treasury of Wild Animals!
Why does Hokkaido have a lot of Endemic Species?
Wild Animals You’ll Want to See on Your Hokkaido Trip
A) Land Category
1. Ezo Red Fox
2. Ezo Deer
3. Ezo Squirrel
4. Ezo Pika
5. Ezo Brown Bear
B) Sky Category
1. Red-crowned Crane
2. Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit)
3. Blakiston’s Fish Owl
C) Underwater Category
1. Harbor Seal
2. Orca
3. Salmon
Things to be careful about when actually encountering a wild animal in Hokkaido
It’s Recommended To Go On A Tour To See Wild Animals In Hokkaido
Hokkaido is a Treasury of Wild Animals!
When it comes to Hokkaido, people think of“Nature.” Hokkaido is 70% forest and among the forest areas, only 30% percent of it was planted. It is said that the other 70% are natural forests existing without the helping hand of people. Furthermore, because Hokkaido is surrounded by ocean in all directions, you can also see many wild sea animals. Having a chance to encounter wild animals in the mountains and the sea is what makes Hokkaido so attractive.
Why does Hokkaido have a lot of Endemic Species?
Along with Hokkaido being a treasury of wild animals, it is also a precious land full of endemic species. The big reason for this is because of what is called, “The Blakiston Line,”a biogeographical boundary line. The Blakiston Line crosses the Tsugaru Strait from east to west, and is located between Hokkaido and Honshu’s Aomori Prefecture. At this line, there is a separation in range of Japan’s plants and animals.
Even for the animals that can withstand cold climates, it would be hard to cross the Tsugaru Strait, which stretches about 20 kilometers. Because of this, it is thought that the northern limit for living things inhabiting the mainland of Japan is Aomori Prefecture. The main reason for Hokkaido’s biogeographical conditions is because the living things that have been inhabiting Hokkaido since long ago have kept their inherent uniqueness, which is why they are still living today.
Wild Animals You’ll Want To See On Your Hokkaido Trip
Here is an introduction of some carefully selected wild animals that represent Hokkaido. Please check out this section as we will explain the characteristics and main habitats of the living creatures, as well as the probability of your chance to actually encounter one. In the article, we will be introducing the living creatures in the categories of land, underwater and sky.
A) Land Category
Here, we’ve selected 5 main wild animals that can be seen on the ground.
1: Ezo Red Fox
The Ezo Red Fox inhabits the entire area of Hokkaido and is a subspecies of the red fox that ranges over a wide area in the northern hemisphere. Its length is 60〜80 centimeters from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail, and its body weight is around 2.5〜10 kilograms. This is one of the wild animals that the residents of Hokkaido are familiar with as it inhabits a vast range of living spaces including, town areas, grasslands, farmlands and forests. It’s not surprising to come across one while driving on a mountain road or jogging along a riverbed.
Furthermore, the appearance of the Ezo Red Fox changes quite drastically with the replacement and growth of its winter and summer fur. Anyone will surely be charmed by the cuteness of the Ezo Red Fox’s fluffy winter coat. On the contrary, the Ezo Red Fox’s summer coat has a slick and cool reputation.
There are many chances to see an Ezo Red Fox while traveling Hokkaido. Although the charming appearance of the Ezo Red Fox will have you wanting to get nearer to pet it, it is strictly prohibited to touch it with bare hands. You have to be careful as the nocturnal Ezo Red Fox is known to suddenly rush out into the night street. Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company provides a full-time driver who is knowledgeable about Hokkaido to show our customers around. You can leave it up to us and be rest assured that you will avoid any type of collision even when discovering an Ezo Red Fox at night.
2: Ezo Deer
The Ezo Deer inhabits the entire area in Hokkaido and is a common animal that can often be seen throughout the prefecture. The Ezo Deer is considered to be a subspecies of the sika deer that inhabits the mainland of Japan, large in size with males reaching body lengths of up to 190 centimeters and weighing up to 150 kilograms. The summer and winter patterns on the bodies of the deer differ, making it look like an entirely different deer. There was a period when the Ezo Deer were considered critically endangered due to heavy snowfall and overhunting. However, thanks to protectionism the population was restored. Now they are increasing in rapid numbers and according to a report taken in 2024, there is an estimated number of 730,000.
From the Ainu cultural point of view, Ezo Deer were recognized as a valuable resource similar to salmon. Not only as a food supply, but the fur and antler were also used to make clothing, shoes, small sword sheaths and more. You could even say that the Ainu could not live without them. In the Ainu language, general Ezo Deer are referred to as “Yuku.”However, it’s interesting to point out that names given to the Ezo Deer differ depending on the age and gender. The numerous names given to the Ezo Deer is a reflection of the many deep cultural connections, and helps us to imagine that the Ezo Deer is a familiar living creature to the Ainu.
Because Ezo Deer sometimes jump out into the road in Hokkaido, “Deer Crossing” signs are put up in various places. At Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company, we provide expert full-time service drivers to show our customers around. Since they are well-informed about the roads in Hokkaido, you can leave it up to us and be rest assured of avoiding an accident in the case of an Ezo Deer jumping out into the road.
3: Ezo Squirrel
The Ezo Squirrel is a common wild animal in Hokkaido that inhabits the north side of the Eurasian Continent and is classified as a subspecies of the northern squirrel. It is larger than a chipmunk with a body length of around 25 centimeters. They are distributed over a wide range of terrain from flatlands to alpine mountains and their appearance changes in summer and winter. In winter, their hair grows twice as long as their summer coat and the fur around their ears grows bushy as well, which enables them to get through the cold winter.
In Sapporo, you can observe many of them at various parks that are rich in nature. Including, Maruyama Park, Mt. Moiwa, Nakajima Park, Nopporo Forest Park and more. Unlike chipmunks, they do not hibernate, so you can see them running around energetically all year around. We recommend wintertime because the squirrels are very easy to spot as the trees have no leaves. Try looking for Ezo Squirrels when taking a walk through a park in Hokkaido.
4: Ezo Pika
Do you know of the Ezo Pika? It’s an extremely rare creature that lives only in a limited area of Hokkaido. It’s very small, at just 10 〜 20 centimeters in length and about 110〜170 grams in weight. They are very cute in appearance with small round ears, a long beard and cute round pupils with roots that go all the way back to the ice age. During the ice age, Hokkaido’s ocean was covered in ice and was connected to Siberia and other continents. As a result, it is thought that specimens inhabiting the north crossed over glaciers to Hokkaido. Although its body is the size of a person’s palm, it has adapted to withstand harsh cold temperatures, which is why it is able to live strongly in Hokkaido’s severe environment.
The Ezo Pika mainly inhabits Mt. Taisetsu and other alpine mountains. However, they can also be seen on lowlands in the Hidaka region such as Erimo Town and Samani Town. In order to encounter an Ezo Pika, you will need patience to wait motionlessly until one appears. You’ll also need a well-informed expert guide to give you pointers on its habitat, as well as other techniques on how to find one. Since Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company has connections with a wide range of tour guides all around Hokkaido, we can introduce a tour guide perfect for you.
5: Ezo Brown Bear
The Ezo Brown Bear is one of the animals that represents Hokkaido. Although, brown bears inhabit a wide region in the northern hemisphere, in Japan they can only be seen in Hokkaido. It is the largest land mammal that inhabits Japan, said to have a body length of about 2 meters and weighing about 300 kilograms. Its large body and strong force is a symbol of Hokkaido’s Nature, while at the same time considered as a big threat to residents and tourists.
This was the same for the Ainu people, who were the indigenous people of Hokkaido. However, it was also considered as an extremely important animal, and they dealt with them with great care. The Ezo Brown Bear in the Ainu language is called, “Kimunkamui,” and was regarded as a sacred mountain God. Just as the camel, which is an important creature in the Arab world, is distinguished locally by detailed names, bears in Ainu culture are also given individual names depending on their condition and habitat. Additionally, the ritual (Iomante) to send the souls of cubs captured during brown bear hunting to the world of the gods shows that the Ainu respected brown bears.
It’s essential to learn about the ecology of brown bears in order to fully enjoy Hokkaido’s nature, but no matter the situation, you do not want to come into contact with an actual wild brown bear. However, for people who would like to see real brown bears, we recommend Bear Mountain, located in Shintoku Town. At Bear Mountain, you can observe brown bears in a habitat that resembles the wild. It’s a good idea to visit at least once, as you can also learn about the ecology, how they interact with each other and how to deal with one in an actual encounter. If you would like to experience Hokkaido’s vast lands and wilderness, please make plans with Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company. We will thoroughly support your trip with guide arrangements, schedule coordination and more.
B) Sky Category
Here, we will focus on birds that fly freely in the sky.
1: Red-crowned Crane
The Red-crowned Crane is the only wild crane that breeds in Japan and is designated as a special natural monument. It is the largest wild bird that inhabits the country with a body length of about 140 centimeters and a wingspan of about 240 centimeters. It has simple colors of pure white, black and red with a distinct feature of a red crown on the top of its head. Although it looks like it has a black tail when its wings are closed, the black color is just the wings covering what is actually a white tail.
Their main habitat is around the Kushiro Marshlands, but they also sometimes breed in the Iburi region and inland. Formerly, the Red-crowned Crane was repeatedly on the verge of extinction due to overhunting. However, as a result of protective measures, they have currently recovered to around 1,500 birds. In the Ainu language, the Red-crowned Crane is called,“Sarorun Kamui: the God within the reed fields,” and depending on the region, they were dealt with as high status Gods. Because of that, the Ainu did not capture or hunt them.
It is recommended to participate in a tour if you would like to observe the Red-crowned Cranes. Although tours are held from November to around March during the intense cold season, you will surely be touched, simply by the beauty of the cranes in the crisp snowfields. Please refer to this article for more information about the Red-crowned Crane. https://hokkaido-treasure.com/column/017/
2: Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit)
Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit) inhabits the entire region of Hokkaido and is a subspecies of the Long-tailed Tit that lives on the mainland in Japan. It’s body length is around 10〜14 centimeters and its main characteristics are its long tail and white body. Its small fluffy shape is so cute and popular that it is also referred to as a “Snow Fairy.” Because its appearance is so adorable, it is used for stuffed animals, Hokkaido souvenir packaging and many other items.
The recommended time for Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit) watching is during the winter season from December to February. There is a high probability of seeing one at this time as there are almost no leaves in the trees. In Sapporo, it is said that you can see Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit) at places such as Maruyama Park, Mt. Moiwa and Moerenuma Park. However, they are not that easy to actually encounter. Therefore, we recommend a specialized tour to increase your chances of seeing the cute Shima Enaga (Hokkaido Long-tailed Tit). Other than Sapporo, tours are also held in Bihoro Town, so please try to enquire for more information with a specialized travel company.
3: Blakiston’s Fish Owl
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is the largest owl in Japan with a body length of 65〜70 centimeters and a wingspan of sometimes over 180 centimeters. Its body is a dark reddish-brown color with fluffy hair on the side of its head that looks like ears. Because of its superior vision and hearing, it can fly around freely even in the dark night forest. Hokkaido is the only place that they range within Japan and the majority of them inhabit the eastern Hokkaido region, but some can also be found in the Tokachi and Hidaka regions as well. However, the current state of the population in Hokkaido has dropped to around 160 owls, designating them as an endangered species. Blakiston’s Fish Owls live in rich forests along rivers where there are many fish, so it is thought that the cause of the decreasing population is due to the conversion of forests to agricultural land, the blocking of rivers by dams and traffic accidents.
Furthermore, the Ainu referred to the owls as, “Kotankoro Kamui: The God who owns the village” and worshipped them as the guardian of the village. Therefore, when a young Blakiston’s Fish Owl was captured, it was sent to God’s Kingdom by an important Ainu Ritual known as “Iomante.”
Since the Blakiston’s Fish Owl’s population is small, there are not many chances to actually encounter one. However, with the right guide and some luck, your chances of encountering one can increase. Please allow Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company who specializes in Hokkaido, to coordinate your tour guide arrangements, travel plans and more.
C) Underwater Category
In this section, we will explain three main types of wild animals that can be encountered in the sea and rivers.
1: Harbor Seal
Do you know about Harbor Seals? In Japan, they inhabit the coastal regions of Hokkaido, particularly the rocky areas around Cape Erimo in Erimo Town, which is actually the largest habitat of Harbor Seals in Japan. Although there are large individual differences, their body length is about 170 centimeters and their weight is around 100 kilograms. Harbor Seals were once designated as an endangered species due to deterioration in their habitat. However, conservation efforts have been successful and their population has now recovered to around 1,000 individuals.
If you want to encounter Harbor Seals, we recommend taking Erimo Town’s kelp boat cruise. The kelp boat cruise is a tour where you can observe Harbor Seals up close on an actual kelp boat used to collect Hidaka kelp, a specialty of Erimo Town. The recommended season is from May to June, which is the birthing season. Especially in early May, the sight of a baby seal swimming with its mother on its mother’s back is truly soothing. This column provides a detailed introduction to Erimo Town, a place that inhabits many Harbor Seals. https://hokkaido-treasure.com/column/104/
2: Orca
It may be surprising to you that, “You can see Orcas in Japan?”Rausu Town in Hokkaido is a very precious place in Japan where you can see wild Orcas. On the mainland of Japan, you have to go to an aquarium to see them, but in Rausu, Hokkaido, you can encounter them in the wild by taking a sightseeing boat or cruise. Furthermore, it is also noteworthy that white killer whales have been observed since 2019. Albino Orcas are extremely rare worldwide and are attracting the attention of researchers. If you’re lucky, you might be able to encounter one.
Orcas are highly intelligent and social, and are at the top of the marine ecosystem. They are also very curious, and sometimes come so close to cruise ships that you can clearly recognize their black and white patterns.
The season to see Orcas is from April to July. In addition to making cruise arrangements, please leave it to Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company for consultations regarding your Hokkaido travel itinerary.
3: Salmon
Salmon is a representative creature of Hokkaido that has been cherished since the Ainu era. Their total length is about 65 centimeters. The young fish born in rivers go on a journey to the ocean and then later return to their native rivers to spawn. The movement of Salmon up rivers is called Salmon migration and can be observed in places such as Sapporo and Shiraoi. Many visitors come to see it at least once during the season, so if you get a chance, be sure to check it out.
In addition to being a valuable food source for the indigenous Ainu people, the skins were also effectively used as daily necessities and trade items. Salmon is called, “Kamuichepu: God’s fish,” in the Ainu language, and the they never forget to be grateful and respectful when fishing for Salmon. It is said that they were strongly warned not to pollute the river or catch too many Salmon. Furthermore, the fact that not only the meat, but also the internal organs and fins of the Salmon were utilized to the fullest shows that the fish were an important living creature in the Ainu Culture.
Even today, Salmon is used in a variety of dishes other than sushi and grilled dishes seasoned with salt. For example, foods such as:
・ Chan Chan Yaki
・ Izushi
・ Salmon Jerky
When traveling to Hokkaido, in addition to observing wildlife, be sure to make some delicious memories as well.
Things To Be Careful About When Actually Encountering a Wild Animal in Hokkaido
Here we will explain what you should be careful about when encountering wild animals in Hokkaido.
・ Do not feed the animals
・ Do not approach them blindly
・ Do not touch them even if they come close to you
・ Do not enter restricted areas
・ Do not litter
・ Follow the guide’s instructions
Ezo Red Foxes carry parasites (echinococci) and their eggs, and contact with them can lead to infection and the development of echinococcosis, which has a high fatality rate. Therefore, it is important not to touch the Ezo Red Fox barehanded.
The rules introduced above must be followed, as they not only prevent diseases caused by wild animals, but also protect the living creatures and their environment. Many tourists are conscientious and know good manners, but they may not be aware of the differences in culture and rules in comparison to their own countries, so it’s important to know the basics.
It’s Recommended To Go On A Tour To See Wild Animals In Hokkaido
In this article, we introduced some wild animals that inhabit Hokkaido. Included, are also some subspecies that have adapted to Hokkaido’s environment.
When observing wild animals in Hokkaido, it is best to hire a nature guide who is familiar with the local conditions and the ecology of the living creatures. With the guidance of a professional tour guide, you will be able to visit spots safely and efficiently, which will greatly increase your chance of encounters. On the other hand, it is also true that there are some creatures that are on the verge of extinction. Be sure to follow the rules and etiquette in order to protect nature and living things.
Wildlife is one of Hokkaido’s major attractions. Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company has connections with various tour guides all throughout Hokkaido and actively conducts wildlife observation tours as well. We also offer private tours tailored to your needs, so please feel free to contact us.
