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Tsurui 
Tsurui is a tiny village located around 30minutes by car from Kushiro Airport. This is very much remote Japan yet every year thousands of visitors head here to see one of the world's rarest birds, the red-crowned crane, which has its breeding grounds in close to the village.
“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.”
Alastair Donnelly, Director
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.
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379
Recommended Accommodation in Tsurui
The following are our favourites from among the western-style hotels and Japanese-style inns of Tsurui.
Experiences in Tsurui
Tsurui offers a wealth of exciting experiences that will help you get beneath the surface of Japan's fascinating culture. See below for a few of our favourites
Weather in Tsurui
The Climate Guide for Tsurui, Japan is perfect for planning your holiday. Monthly weather averages give the best indication of what the weather is usually like for every month of the year including figures for temperature, rainfall and sunshine.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Daytime Temperature (°C) | -3 | -3 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| Min Night-time Temperature (°C) | -13 | -13 | -8 | -2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 4 | -3 | -9 |
| Hours of Sunshine (Daily) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Hours of Daylight (Daily) | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Heat and Humidity Discomfort | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | None |
| Days with some Rainfall | 20 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Monthly Rainfall (mm) | 45 | 36 | 54 | 77 | 100 | 103 | 116 | 135 | 147 | 105 | 79 | 46 |
| UV Index (Maximum) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379
Tour Gallery
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379
Featured trips including Tsurui
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Small Group Tour
Winter Highlights (IJT Classic)
- Tokyo
- Tsurui
- Lake Kussharo
- Abashiri
- Sapporo
- Hakodate
- Kyoto
- Kanazawa
- Tokyo
Japan in the winter is a magical destination, blanketed in snow and free from the crowds that throng the cultural hotspots in summer.
14 nights: US$7131 Read more >
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