Magical Japan, a late winter wonderland
March 4-15 2027
Tour at a glance:
Tour leader – Jonathan Meyrav
Local leader – Koji Tagi
11 nights
11 days of birding
8-10 people (with 2 guides)
Difficulty – Easy
Photography options – Very good
Japan, with it’s beautiful landscapes, heritage and culture is also an amazing place
for birds and nature. When we veer away from the hustle of the big cities we find
ourselves in the serenity of the countryside, beautiful ancient villages and majestic
nature.
Our tour combines three of Japan’s premier birding regions, from the frosty coasts
of Hokkaido to the subtropical forests of Okinawa and Amami. The itinerary is
designed to target many of Japan’s most sought-after specialty species while also
offering opportunities to experience the country’s diverse landscapes, culture and
food. The tour includes several boat trips to target rare seabirds and marine
mammals and the amazing spectacle of Steller’s and White-tailed Eagles on drifting
ice, Blakiston’s Fish Owl observation, Rare and Endemic species of Okinawa and
Amami Islands and even some birding and culture in Tokyo itself. This truly is a
fascinating tour that combines modern comforts as well as a taste of real Japan
guesthouses, food and culture.
Click for our Full Program
Day 1 – March 4 th 2027
Arrival day, transfer to our hotel in Tokyo.
Day 2 – March 5 th 2027
Following an early breakfast we will head to the airport
for our local flight to Kushiro on the Island of Hokkaido. Our first port of call will
be the famous Kiritappu wetlands where we will get our first taste of Japanese birds
including marshland species and ducks such as Long-tailed, Harlequin and more.
We will do some more exploring and then head to Nemuro, the easternmost point
in mainland Japan. Night at Kaiyo Tei Hotel.
Day 3 – March 6 th 2027
Today we will explore the eastern part of Hokkaido in
search of some amazing species. We will visit several beaches and bays in search for
rare seabirds such as Red-faced Cormorant (rare), Stejneger’s Scoter, Steller’s Sea-
Eagle, White-tailed Sea-Eagle, Common and Thick-billed Murre, Crested Auklet
(rare), Pigeon Guillemot, Spectacled Guillemot and Ancient Murrelet. During the
day we will hopefully encounter our first Red-crowned Cranes, the beautiful
Japanese Long-tailed Tit and the erratic Asian Rosy Finch among others. In the
evening we will return to Nemuro for another night. Kaiyo Tei Hotel.
Day 4 – March 7 th 2027
This morning we head to Ochiishi where we will join a nature cruise off the
southern Hokkaido coast. We will search for pelagic species and will hopefully get
close to some of the rarer Alcids and more. This cruise also offers a great chance to
encounter Marine mammals such as Harbor Seals, Otters and even Whales. After
lunch we will head northeast to the region of Rausu where we will spend the night
at one of the few lodges where we have a chance to view one of our main targets of
the trip, the amazing Blakiston’s Fish Owl.
Night at Shiretoko Serai hotel.
Day 5 – March 8 th 2027
Following breakfast we will do some exploring of the
beautiful region of Rausu and head on another birding and nature cruise. This
cruise enters very rich marine waters where besides Eagles and rare Alcids we have
a great chance to find Sea Lions, Orcas, Porpoises and more. In the afternoon we
head west towards the city of Kushiro with some birding stops en route.
Night at ANA Crown Plaza hotel Kushiro.
Day 6 – March 9 th 2027
Some birding in the morning searching for Cranes and
Eagles and then we head to the airport for our flight back to Tokyo, arriving in the
afternoon.
Night at Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyo.
Day 7 – March 10 th 2027 – Tokyo birds and culture
Our day begins with birding around the bay of Tokyo, namely at the Kasai Rinkai
Park. This nice park hosts good numbers of waterbirds such as Eastern Spot-billed
Duck and Black Faced Spoonbills as well as native songbirds such as Azure winged
Magpies, Brown headed, Pale and Dusky Thrush, Daurian Redstart and Masked
Buntings. After birding we will meet up with a city guide for a brief cultural tour of
the amazing city of Tokyo. Night at Haneda Excel Tokyo.
Days 8-9 – March 11 th – 12 th 2027
Following an early breakfast we head to the
airport for our flight to Okinawa, the southernmost area of Japan. Here the
landscape and weather are very different to what we previously encountered, and
the lush habitat offers excellent birding. The northern part of the Island holds the
last surviving tracts of Island rainforest in Asia and the birding and landscapes here
are truly amazing. We will spend the next couple of days exploring the jagged
coast and the subtropical rainforests in search of exciting targets such as: Whistling
Green Pigeon, Pacific Reef Heron, Pacific Golden Plover, Siberian Sand Plover
and local specialties such as the Okinawa Rail, the highly localized Ryukyu Scops
Owl, Okinawa Woodpecker, Ryukyu Minivet and Okinawa Robin among many
others.
2 Night at ADA Garden Hotel Okinawa
Day 10-11 – March 13-14 2027
Following a final morning of birding around Kunigami we head to the airport for
our flight to Amami Oshima, a small archipelago southwest of Kyushu. This
fascinating group of Islands has beautiful subtropical landscapes and some very
interesting birds. We will spend the next couple of days exploring the rugged coast
and inland broadleaf forest trails and hopefully connect with some Asian waders
and waterbirds as well as some range restricted passerines such as the Amami
White-backed Woodpecker, Ryukyu Minivet, Ryukyu Robin, Ryukyu Flycatcher
and the beautiful Lidth’s Jay. In the evening we will do some night birding
targeting the Endemic and bizarre Amami Woodcock as well as other cool Owls
such as Northern Boobook and Ryukyu Scops Owl. Nights at Hotel Sundays
Amami
Day 12 – March 15 th 2027
The final day of the tour… We will spend the morning birding around Amami
(Naze) and after lunch we will head to the airport for our flight back to Tokyo
where our tour ends. Visitors are welcome to arrange their flights back this
evening, or to stay longer in Tokyo.
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Tour price: $5780 (sharing)
Single supplement: $440
Price includes:
All accommodation and transportation from March 4-15 (afternoon)
All meals from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 12
5 Domestic flights (Haneda-Kushiro, Kushiro-Haneda, Haneda-Naha, Naha-
Amami, Amami-Haneda)
All guiding and entry fees.
Price excludes:
International flights to/from Japan
Personal travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks, souvenirs and items of personal nature
Tips to principal guides.