Outstanding Winter Wildlife Adventure in East Hokkaido

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

1. DAY

   01

   Kushiro Airport - Kushiro

   Welcome to Japan's final frontier!

   

   Let’s start the adventure with a serene and special sight, a highlight of any hokkaido winter tour. Your journey to Hokkaido wildlife starts with a visit to Akan International Crane Center. The Red-crowned crane, also known as Japanese crane, is one of the rarest crane species in the world. This is usually a bird with migratory habits, but interestingly there is a crane population that lives permanently in East Hokkaido, making it a unique sight during the japan winter. This experience is a truly special part of your hokkaido winter tour, showcasing the beauty of japan winter.

   For dinner, it will be cool to step back in time and have a little venture around Hokkaido’s oldest market street “Akachochin Yokocho”, literally “Red Lantern Back Alley” in Kushiro city. This culinary exploration adds another memorable layer to your hokkaido winter tour, offering authentic flavors of the japan winter season.

   Hokkaido wildlife: red-crowned crane

   

   – Red-crowned crane, also known as Japanese crane or “tancho” in Japanese was almost extinct due to overhunting, and erosion of its natural habitat around World War II.
   – A small population of around 20 birds managed to survive in Eastern Hokkaido, and thanks to protection of their breeding sites and creating special eating grounds currently there are over 1000 cranes alive. The bird is however still endangered.

2. DAY

   02

   Kushiro - Yoroushi

   A sleeping volcano in Akan Mashu National Park

   Your journey truly begins on the second day. From here on it will be a full course of Hokkaido nature, a highlight of your japan tour. One place of interest in this stunning national park, one of the oldest in winter hokkaido, is a sleeping volcano located between two stunning lakes, known as Mount Io (“Sulfur Mountain”) in Japanese and Atosanupuri (“Naked Mountain”) in the Ainu language. As the names suggest, this is a stoic, bare volcano with a peculiar color and a distinctive smell, offering a unique sight on your japan tour. After a thought-provoking day learning about this magnificent volcano, you will be staying at an atmospheric Japanese inn with hot springs, perfect for a winter hokkaido escape. This part of your japan tour truly showcases the raw beauty of winter hokkaido.

   Accommodation:　Yuyado Daiichi

   

   – Atmospheric inn with natural “onsen” hot springs.
   – Both Japanese style rooms with “tatami” mats and Western style rooms are available.
   – Various types of baths to enjoy, from large open-air hot springs to completely wooden indoor baths with a nostalgic timber fragrance.
   – Original, creative menu of seasonal cuisine making full use of local ingredients.
   – Interesting location on the edge of the deep forests of Akan-Mashu National Park and agricultural lands of Nakashibetsu area. Nearby there is a place where there is a chance to spot Blakiston’s fish owls, the largest living species of owls.

3. DAY

   03

   Yoroushi - Shiretoko

   Birdwatching cruise in UNESCO World Heritage Site Shiretoko National Park

   

   One of the coolest things about Hokkaido is its diversity, which you are just about to experience. After check-out, you can get up to an observatory hill, where you can enjoy a spectacular sunrise and a panoramic view of the surrounding agricultural land. It almost feels like you are the only people in the world.

   Next stop: welcome to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shiretoko National Park. This place is known by the name “End of the World” in the Ainu language. Today we are hoping to see something spectacular for hokkaido birding. In Shiretoko there are nature-watching boats that make cruises in the peninsula area. A small but powerful boat will make its way through the icy cold ocean water to the areas where wild birds can be found, offering prime winter birding opportunities. If everything goes well, you will see some white-tailed eagles and giant Steller’s sea eagles on the drift ice, making for incredible hokkaido birding. This unique winter birding experience truly highlights the wildlife of Hokkaido, providing unparalleled hokkaido birding for your winter birding adventure.

   Hokkaido wildlife: Steller's sea eagle

   

   – Steller’s sea eagle is the largest existing species of sea eagles.
   – These giant animals have an impressive bright yellow beak and a distinctive white area in their otherwise darkish brown coat.
   – In wintertime Steller’s sea eagles that usually live in the Eastern Russian side of the Sea of Okhotsk move south toward Hokkaido.
   – Fun fact: the East Hokkaido locals are so used to seeing these birds, that for them they are as common as crows!

    

4. DAY

   04

   Shiretoko - Shiretoko

   Snowshoeing in the stunning Shiretoko National Park

   
   

   Today, our hokkaido tour truly begins as we delve into the snowy beauty of Shiretoko National Park on foot. This winter tour is designed for immersive exploration, where you’ll effortlessly wander through pristine nature. Forget roughing it; with our hokkaido private tours, you’ll be perfectly equipped with snowshoes to explore the enchanting white landscape.

   As part of this incredible hokkaido tour, take in the breathtaking views of the Five Lakes of Shiretoko and head towards the captivating Furepe Falls. The winter tour scenery in this special spot by the sea is truly breathtaking. These intriguing waterfalls seem to appear out of nowhere, cascading down steep cliffs right into the Sea of Okhotsk, which will be the focus of your hokkaido private tours tomorrow. This entire hokkaido tour segment promises unforgettable moments for your winter tour and highlights of your hokkaido private tours.

    

5. DAY

   05

   Shiretoko - Abashiri

   Once in a lifetime experience: drift ice walking

   
   

   Today will be a very special day on your hokkaido tour. You will get to descend to the Sea of Okhotsk and experience the magnificent drift ice firsthand, a truly iconic part of the japan winter. Every year, around 1000 kilometers away from Hokkaido, on the border between China and Russia, a mass of ice made of seawater forms, thinned by the natural forces of the Amur River.

   Gigantic pieces of this ice start to drift slowly south, and around February, they complete their 1000-kilometer journey to hit the shores of East Hokkaido and slowly melt away. This incredible phenomenon is a highlight of any hokkaido tour, showcasing the raw beauty of japan winter. This is, in fact, the southernmost place in the Northern Hemisphere where drift ice can be experienced, making it a truly unique spectacle for your hokkaido tour and a defining feature of the japan winter.

    

6. DAY

   06

   Abashiri - Abashiri

   another birdwatching tour in the local forest

   　

   Today, we embark on a unique birdwatching journey into a local Hokkaido forest, offering a different perspective than the renowned Shiretoko area. Guided by an experienced local resident, this immersive experience takes you deep into the tranquil woods, where you might just encounter the elusive Long-tailed Tit (Shima Enaga), often affectionately called the “snow fairy.”

   This isn’t just about spotting birds; it’s an opportunity to connect with nature that coexists harmoniously with human life in Hokkaido. You’ll witness how the local ecosystem thrives alongside communities, offering a gentle yet profound birdwatching experience. Our knowledgeable guide will share insights into the forest’s delicate balance and the diverse avian life it supports. This intimate birdwatching adventure allows you to appreciate the subtle beauty of Hokkaido’s wildlife and its deep connection to the land.

7. DAY

   07

   Abashiri - Memamebetsu Airport

   Hokkaido culture before heading to the airport

   Before saying goodbyes to this northern island, you can take a peek its rich culture. An interesting glass blowing workshop using recycled glass is one recommendation for those who love to work with their hands.

   If the journey stimulated your interest in the deeper layers of Hokkaido, there is also the Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples, where one can learn about the culture, traditions and contemporary life of people of the northern, subarctic regions. This is an excellent place to familiarize yourself with the Ainu culture of Hokkaido and during the same visit you also learn about the societies and ways of living from the First Nations people of northern Canada, the Inuit, the Sami of Northern Europe and the Siberian peoples among others.