{"id":27732,"date":"2020-07-13T19:32:38","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T18:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=27732"},"modified":"2020-07-14T12:12:44","modified_gmt":"2020-07-14T11:12:44","slug":"hokkaido-japans-wild-north","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2020\/07\/13\/hokkaido-japans-wild-north\/","title":{"rendered":"Hokkaido: Japan\u2019s wild north"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>When the most widely recognised images of Japan are scenes of neon nightscapes or of bullet trains whizzing past Mt. Fuji, many are surprised to discover most of Japan is wooded, mountainous and sparsely inhabited. But stray far enough and you can find yourself in Hokkaido: Japan\u2019s wild north.<\/p>\n<p>The land is candy for the eyes with serene natural beauty everywhere you look. Hokkaido is so big, it could be its own country, but due to the pretty difficult winter living conditions, most of the land is largely untouched by modernisation. With convenient public transport only in southern parts, such as Hakodate and Sapporo, it can be tricky to get around, but it that leaves a plethora of nature untouched. And with the lowest population density of all of Japan\u2019s prefectures (65 compared to nearly 6,200 people per square kilometre in Tokyo), rich volcanic soils and the bounty of the Oyashio current (which starts in Alaska) Hokkaido boasts an abundance of wildlife.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27951\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27951\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27951 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110206%E7%BE%85%E8%87%BC%EF%BC%86%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B7-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27951\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stellar&#8217;s Sea Eagle off the Shiretoko Peninsula<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For the best wildlife spotting, head to one of Hokkaido\u2019s six national parks or the Shiretoko Peninsula (a UNESCO world heritage site known as \u201cthe last of Japan&#8217;s undiscovered scenic spots\u201d). The landscapes alone demand a visit &#8211; from hikes up volcanoes to eerily blue ponds that are the remnants of an eruption, nature is so bountiful it can be hard to know where to start and what to see. These are our favourites to find.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27948\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27948\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27948 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_4174-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27948\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shiretoko summer landscapes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Brown bears<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In summer, you have a great chance of seeing brown bears and \u2013 perhaps amusingly \u2013 the best way to see them is by boat. When hiking in areas with bears you will hear the constant jangling of bells coming from the rucksacks of Japanese hikers. These are important because brown bears are aggressive (especially when cubs are around) but make land sightings much more challenging.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hokkaido Ezo deer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Possibly the easiest wildlife to spot in Hokkaido \u2013 through the car window. This means they\u2019re also a bit of hazard and have become plentiful enough to make venison pretty commonly found.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ezo Red Fox or \u2018kitakitsune\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Equally prominent and plentiful in Hokkaido\u2019s national parks is the Ezo red fox &#8211; its bushy red coat and tail give it away. The formal name of these foxes is \u2018<em>kitakitsune<\/em>\u2019, which (boringly) simply means \u201cnorthern fox\u201d in Japanese. Though a fun fact is the foxes were introduced from cultured silver foxes via the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. \u201c<em>Ezo<\/em>\u201d (also commonly written as <em>Yezo<\/em>) is a historic term for everything north of Honshu, Japan\u2019s mainland, so it\u2019s often used for things native to Hokkaido. The \u2018kanji\u2019 used for Ezo implies \u201cforeigner\u201d or \u201cbarbarian\u201d it shows a distinctness to varieties of things found in Hokkaido that are not found in the rest of Japan.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27803\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27803 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-720x405.jpg\" alt=\"Ezo Red Fox\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-720x405.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-564x317.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-390x219.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-780x439.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ezo-fox.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ezo Red Fox (c) MIKI Yoshihito &#8211; flickr.com\/photos\/mujitra\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Ezo<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Other \u201cEzo\u201d animals are the <em>Ezo momonga<\/em> and the <em>Ezo crying rabbit<\/em> (or <em>Ezo naki usagi<\/em>). It\u2019s a type of Pika that is rumoured to be the inspiration for the famous yellow Pokemon \u2013 I can\u2019t verify that but have always enjoyed showing people pictures side by side:<\/p>\n<p><em>Ezo momonga<\/em> are a type of flying squirrel. There are night-time tours to try to spot them but I\u2019ve never been successful!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Blackiston\u2019s fish owl<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For any birder, Blackiston\u2019s fish owl is reason enough to journey to the wilds of Hokkaido. It\u2019s the largest species of owl in the world and, despite the fact that only about 150 owls remain, can be regularly seen on the Shiretoko Peninsula. It\u2019s a designated endangered species and so great efforts are being made to help the species flourish again. Leading the charge is the small \u201cWashi no Yado\u201d (Eagle Inn) guest house where the owls visit nightly.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27800\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27800\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27800 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-720x388.jpg\" alt=\"Blakiston fish owl\" width=\"720\" height=\"388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-720x388.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-1024x552.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-768x414.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-564x304.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-1536x828.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-2048x1105.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-1200x647.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-900x485.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-1440x777.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-390x210.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-780x421.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Blakiston-fish-owl-510x275.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27800\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blakiston fish owl<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Orca and other whales<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The waters off Hokkaido are both pristine and supplied vast nutrients by the Oyashio current \u2013 vast enough to support orcas. They\u2019re regularly spotted in summer, cruises to see them also regularly sight sperm whales and Baird\u2019s beaked whales. Baird\u2019s whales hold the distinguished title of the largest member of the beaked whale family (you knew that was a title, right)? These 30+ foot whales are often found in groups, so sightings are spectacular.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27935\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27935\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27935 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-720x508.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"508\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-720x508.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-1024x723.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-768x542.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-564x398.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-1536x1084.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-2048x1446.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-1200x847.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-900x635.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-1440x1016.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-390x275.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-780x551.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/110816%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%81%EF%BC%86%E7%9F%A5%E5%BA%8A%E5%8D%8A%E5%B3%B6-510x360.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27935\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Orca off the Shiretoko Peninsula<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Red-crowned crane<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Last but never least is the poster child of Hokkaido wildlife: the spectacular red-crowned crane. You can see them year-round, but they are more prominent in winter. A treat in itself when all of Hokkaido is under beautiful, powdery snow.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_27806\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27806\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27806 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"Red-crowned crane\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Red-crowned-crane-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-27806\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Red-crowned crane in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27732\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! When the most widely recognised images of Japan are scenes of neon nightscapes or of bullet trains whizzing past Mt. Fuji, many are surprised to discover most of Japan is wooded, mountainous and sparsely inhabited. But stray far enough and you can find yourself in Hokkaido: Japan\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2357],"tags":[1625,2594,2714,4322,4707,4710,4713],"class_list":["post-27732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-japanese-wildlife-and-environment","tag-hokkaido","tag-northern-japan","tag-a-northern-soul","tag-red-crowned-crane","tag-nature-japan","tag-japanese-nature","tag-bears-japan"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27732"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27932,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27732\/revisions\/27932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}