Destinations

Tsurui

"As the sun went down against a backdrop of pure white snow the cranes started their graceful dance - it was an out of this world experience."

Jarrod Stenhouse - Tour Leader/Travel Consultant

The spring in Tsurui starts in May as cherry trees start to blossom. Animals and plants suddenly come to life after enduring a long and harsh winter. The nearby Kushiro Marsh, stretching a massive 183km square kilometers, sheds its wintry colors and becomes covered in fresh green. This is the time of the year when the tancho, the rare Japanese Red-crowned Crane, fly back to the Marsh in pairs in order to raise their new chicks.

When summer comes the Marsh is now covered with rich green, making a wonderful contrast with the blue of the rivers that meander throughout its huge area. Deep in the Marsh, the tancho are busy raising their new offspring. Cows, rarely seen in Japan, are busy grazing in the fields.

In the fall the trees covering the mountains display their autumn leaves in various stunning shades of red and yellow, and the farmers are busy harvesting new crops. Cows produce plenty of famous Hokkaido milk. The tancho begin to fly to the cornfields and feeding grounds in Tsurui with their offspring.

Finally winter steals over the Marsh, spreading thick snow on the ground.  The tancho fly between their roosts and the feeding grounds in Tsurui. They have to endure the harsh climate, but this is the season they really shine. The beauty of their performances, their singing and dancing, is just out of this world.

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Products featuring Tsurui...

Small Group Tour

Winter Highlights

Japan is a unique winter holiday destination and Winter Highlights brings you the very best of the season with the Sapporo Snow festival, rare birds, the charming snow monkeys and the hauntingly beautiful shrines and temples of Kyoto. This is a winter-time holiday treat you will savour forever.

14 Nights: £3250

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Self Guided Adventure

Winter Bird Watching

Steller's Sea Eagles, Red-Crowned Cranes, Blakiston's Fish Owl and the Whooper Swan are just some of the many rare species that await during Japan's winter season. Our flexible independent travel itinerary includes two full days with birding guides and the very best lodging locations.

10 Nights: £2000

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Self Guided Adventure

Hokkaido Fly-Drive

The huge and sparsely populated island of Hokkaido is the focus of this unique adventure. Here within the national parks you’ll find vast empty plains, crystal clear lakes and soaring mountain landscapes. With well-kept, quiet roads and plenty of English signs Hokkaido is ideal for exploring by car.

16 Nights: £2710

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