By car from Sapporo, the Shakotan Sea is 1 hour and 30 minutes by car. The scenic spot called the “Shakotan Blue” is famous for the high transparency of the water. The columnar joint formations look like underwater ruins, which are very famous.
Columnar formations are polygonal columnar fissures caused by volumetric contraction as the magma solidifies and then cools. It is a manifestation of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” also known as the “volcanic archipelago.”
Looking up at the sea’s surface from the columnar joints.
This point of the columnar joint is called the “hidden root of Biyano.” The depth here is about 25 meters, and it is too bad that it’s barely visible from the glass bottom boat.
Heading towards the sites along the coastline. Diving the strait was blessed with good weather. When I visited in September, there wasn’t much marine life to see then…but I was able to see wonderful “Hokkaido’s sea creatures on the Sea of Japan side” with wonderful guides.
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
For 6 days from February 17、I traveled to Eastern Hokkaido. This article introduces the Red-crowned Cranes in the village of Tsurui.
Over the course of two days, I visited Otowa -bashi, a famous spot for observing the roosting cranes. On the first day, it snowed and the lowest temperature that morning was about -6℃. It was forecasted to have an ice-fog at below 15 degrees Celsius. Perhaps due to these bad weather conditions, when we arrived at the bridge at 4am, there were only 3 tripods lined up when we arrived. After 5:30am, the sky brightened and the cranes began to appear even though it was still snowing, and we were able to see them at a short distance away, only about 50 m from the bridge.
From snowy Otowa BridgePhotographer waiting at Otowa Bridge
On the second day, the lowest temperature was minus 15℃, and when we arrived at 4am, there were already 30 tripods lined up, and in the end, there were so many people crowding to see the cranes, that we had to form two lines for the tripods. The red-crowned cranes were several hundred meters away, because it was sunny, but the morning glow was a golden hue, coloring the crane’s roosting area, making it a very magical sight.
Scenery from Otowa Bridge in the morning sunOtowa Bridge is full of photographers
At the Ito Sanctuary, which is the feeding ground for them during the winter, many people had already reserved their photo-taking positions from an hour beforehand. On the first day, perhaps because the wind was really strong, the cranes flew from behind us observers, passing directly above us. Even the photographers with the big camera lenses, were using their cell phones to shoot cause the distance was too close. Also, due to the snow, the ground was covered with a fresh coat of snow, making their courtship displays very elegant and fantastic.
Flight of the red-crowned craneRed-crowned cranes take off in flightCourtship of red-crowned cranes
On our second day, there were so many people gathered there from an hour before the feeding time. This time, in the parking area of Ito Sanctuary, there were people who had gotten stuck in the snow, causing lots of confusion in the parking lot. Driving in eastern Hokkaido takes some getting used to, so if you do drive yourself, please be careful not to waste precious photography time and get there early. On this day, it was a particularly beautiful day to observe cranes flying in with the clear blue skies as the backdrop.
The bright blue sky and the red-crowned craneRed-crowned cranes coming to Ito SanctuaryActive red-crowned crane movementsPeople gathered at Ito Sanctuary
Then, at noon, we took a break at the shop that has bird feeders out for the Long-tailed tits “Shimaenaga.” Tourists are there eating the pasta flavored with locally grown basil and Hokkaido’s famous ice cream while observing the small long-tailed tits that were attracted by the birdfeeders.
Observing long-tailed tits from a cafePasta using local basil
In the evening, we observed the cranes going to roost. Due to the fact that they all return at once from the feeding site to the roost, we waited for the photo opportunity by waiting along the route. Over the 2 days, we saw a large number of cranes flying overhead. On the second day in particular, the sunset was a beautiful hue, so many people were able to get photos with a magical atmosphere.
Red-crowned crane in the evening lightRed-crowned cranes on its way to the roostRed-crowned cranes on its way to the roost
Photo & Text: Wataru HIMENO
Observation: Tsurui Village, East-Hokkaido
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
This is a summary of the wild creatures you might encounter while herping in Okinawa.
The Japanese cave gecko (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae, in Japanese:クロイワトカゲモドキ Kuroiwa tokagemodoki) is endemic to Japan. They have primitive characteristics: such as a lack of scales on their fingers, so they cannot stick to or climb walls; they have eyelids, so they can blink; etc. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, depending on which region and on which island they are found. This is the Goniurosaurus kuroiwae kuroiwae, which is the standard subspecies among the different varieties. It features a prominent red eye with banded patterning on its body.
Japanese cave geckoJapanese cave geckoJapanese cave gecko
The Kerama Cave Gecko (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae sengokui, in Jp: ケラマトカゲモドキ Kerama tokagemodoki), a subspecies of the Kuroiwa cave gecko, can only found on a few islands, located two hours by ferry, from the main island of Okinawa. It has a striking orange body, which is noticeable as a difference in the juveniles, right from birth.
Other gecko species live in Okinawa have various subspecies with different color patterns, depending on the island and the region where they can be found.
The Japanese cave geckoGoniurosaurus kuroiwae kuroiwae （ in Japanese:クロイワトカゲモドキ沖縄本島亜種 Kuroiwa tokagemodoki Okinawa Mainland Subspecies) has red eyes and a striped pattern indicative of the cave geckos. Lives on the southern part of the main island of Okinawa.
The Kume Cave GeckoGoniurosaurus kuroiwae yamashinae (in Jp: クメトカゲモドキ Kume tokagemodoki) has yellow eyes and a yellow banded coloration.
Kume Cave Gecko
In Okinawa Prefecture, there is a golden colored pit viper that is endemic to the Ryuku Islands, in Japanese called the Habu（ハブ） Protobothrops flavoviridis . Its venom is not very poisonous, but the full length can be rather large at over 2 meters long and solenoglyphous, the fangs for injecting the venom is 1.5 cm. The silver color variation is called a ‘Gin Habu’ meaning ‘Silver Habu’ which is lacking the yellow pigment that is found in the typical Habu.
HabuHabuHabu
Additionally, there is an endemic Viper in Japanese called the ‘Hime Habu（ヒメハブ）’ (Ovophis okinavensis) which inhabits the same area. Literally, the name means “small habu,” however, even though it belongs to the same family as the Habu, it is a different genus. Frogs being their favorite prey, they can often be observed at the waterside hunting for frogs that are distracted and trying to breed. They stay active even in the winter when other snakes are usually less active.
Hime HabuHime HabuHime Habu
Moreover, in the Yaeyama Island Chain, which are islands located south of the main island of Okinawa, the endemic Sakishima-Habu（サキシマハブ） Protobothrops elegans can be found. In the Sakishima Islands during the summer, one might come across this snake as a given, but you might see an orangish colored snake, that is the same species, but it has lost its dark color. This rare color variation is about one in every 10 snakes. It is a very beautiful snake.
Sakishima-HabuSakishima-Habu
Also, on the main island of Okinawa, there is an extra large snake known as the Ryukyu odd-tooth snake (Lycodon semicarinatus) or in Japanese ‘Akamata（アカマタ）,’ which may have a total length exceeding 2 meters. With a voracious appetite, it eats anything including frogs, lizards, mice, and other snakes. It is an endemic species of Japan.
Ryukyu odd-tooth snakeRyukyu odd-tooth snake
Okinawa’s frogs are also famous.
The most famous frog is the endemic Ishikawa’s Frog (Odorrana ishikawae) or in Japanese ‘Okinawa Ishikawa gaeru（オキナワイシカワガエル）.’ With a total length of more than 10 cm it is a relatively large species, however, coming across it in the forest may be difficult because it is usually dispersed in the mountains. In addition, relatively many blue frogs, lacking the yellow pigment have been found, resulting in many people herping in the Yambaru region in search of blue Ishikawa frogs.
Ishikawa’s FrogIshikawa’s Frog
Also, in the Yambaru forest, there is a high probability to be able to observe the endemic Ryukyu Tip-nosed Frog (in Jp: Hanasakigaeru（ハナサキガエル）. Because they have very long legs, they can quickly evade you, making it quite difficult to photograph. It is very rare, but according to some, the blue variation of these frogs has been found there as well.
Ryukyu Tip-nosed FrogRyukyu Tip-nosed Frog
Then, there is the endemic Anderson’s CrocodileNewt Echinotriton andersoni, in Japanese Iboimori（イボイモリ）, which lives like a reptile. Even though they are amphibians, they aren’t found in or near water, and have strange adaptations like laying their eggs on land.
February is generally the peak season in Hokkaido’s eastern region, but what is it like in January? In this blog, we would like to introduce the wildlife that you might see in East Hokkaido (Kushiro, Notsuke Pennisula, Rausu) in January.
Short-Eared Owl (Notsuke Peninsula)
During this period, short-eared owls migrating from Siberia and other places, could be observed (depending on the year). This grassland owl is a rarity in Japan, but when you visit the open grassy fields in the evening, you might observe them flying around looking for mice. After that, as the weather gets colder, many of the owls migrate to other places around the main island of Japan (Honshu), so Hokkaido in January might be the best time to photograph the snowy landscapes with short-eared owls.
Ural Owl (Eastern Hokkaido)
The ural owl, is an endemic species that inhabits Hokkaido as a resident year around. It is easy to spot these birds in the leafless trees.
Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Rausu)
The Blakiston’s fish owl can be seen from a facility along the Chitorai River in Rausu. It is a very rare species that inhabits only eastern Hokkaido and Far East Russia (Kunashir Island).
In eastern Hokkaido, there are wildlife that migrate here to overwinter, and there are also resident birds as well. They are most abundant in February, and can be easily seen flying around Lake Furen and Rausu.
The Steller’s sea eagles, which breed in Far East Russia such as in the Kamchatka Peninsula, migrate to eastern Hokkaido in the winter. February is the most common, month they start arriving, but I was able to confirm their appearance in January as well.
Red Crowned Crane (Tsurui Village)
In January, the red-crowned cranes are preparing for the breeding season. I was able to see the paired couples singing and dancing together, and a young bird practicing alone. From February to March, the breeding season is in full swing, the number of couples increase and the time they spend doing their displays goes on for longer periods of time.
Red Fox
The red fox, a subspecies that inhabits the Sakhalin, Hokkaido and its surroundings, is also approaching their breeding season as well. During this period, males will walk large areas in the deep snow searching for females, so the muscles of the upper body are said to be very developed, and this one here is a good example, showing very developed pectoral muscles.
One fox approached us with the Kunashir Island in the backdrop, and if you look closely at its tail, you can see some small hair loss. Scabies is spreading among the red foxes, and is seems to be causing a population decline.
Ezo Sika Deer
These are some Ezo Sika Deer with the Kunashir Islands in the background. At this time of year, they have winter fur and are very cute, but they have a voracious appetite and are highly successful at reproduction, so in some areas they are being exterminated due to damage to agricultural areas. At Shiretoko Sarai, the venison is added to the menu so it is not wasted.
In addition, you might see kestrel and a group of long-tailed tit.
January was a fulfilling time to encounter wildlife in eastern Hokkaido for a 3 nights and 4 days stay in January.
Photo & text: Wataru HIMENO
Observation: Jan 2023, Eastern Hokkaido
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
At the start of July, we were in the waters around Izu Oshima. We could see Bullhead sharks, Dragon Moray Eels, and Hammerheads…We were there only for 2 days and one night but its only 1.5 hours away using the high-speed boat from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo.
After we arrived in the early morning at the island, we had 3 dives, then the next morning grabbing another 3 dives, including being able to see the Hammerhead shark with sunrise, by the time we were back on the boat for going back, we had an 6 amazing dives under our belts! Isu Oshima is simply awesome.
I was quite worried about the heat during the day, but the water temperature was 19 to 22 degrees ℃ which was fine in a dry suit. While taking a diving short course, we could observe so many fish, and on top of that, get some photos as well. The most memorable thing about the trip was our encounter with the Bullhead sharks.
The Bullheads are quiet-natured sharks, who often live in the seaweed beds. They are commonly seen in Izu while diving. The English name is ‘Bullhead Shark’ but the Japanese name of the sharks are “Neko-zame” which means “Cat (neko) ＋ Shark (same).” It is named this because where the eyes of the shark are pointy like a cat’s ears at the top of the head, the overall shape makes the shark look like a cat’s face.
The Dragon Moray Eel.
The English name was ‘Dragon Moray’ but the Japanese named it as ‘Torautsubo’ or a ‘Tiger’ (tora) ＋’Moray’ (utsubo).
This Green Sea Turtle has been given a name by the locals as ‘The Lord’ (Nushi) because it is so extremely large. Because it is not photographed with a person, it is hard to get the scale of just how big he is, but in all the diving I have done, it is the largest Green that I have ever seen. According to our guide, either he is getting too old or too big, but he just does not move very much from this spot.
Whip Coral Goby
This type of coral is called a Whip Coral and the fish that lives on it is a type of Goby fish.
In Japanese this fish is called a ‘Toshima Gimpo’ (Neoclinus toshimaensis). It is poking its head out of its burrow but only 1cm of it can be seen.
A Hammerhead shark at Keikai Beach. During this trip, we did not see that many of them, but it is always a little startling to see them swimming (we were at 12 meters depth as they passed directly overhead).
Near the access to our diving area, there is a toilet which served as the home for this Pacific Swift nest- it was full. The next day, the babies had fledged and left the nest.
This is the outside of the lodging. There are many cats in this area. It was a very healing stay with nostalgic scenes like this and the friendly cats.
The fish we saw the most during this trip was the Chicken grunt (isaki). We also saw it on the menu at dinnertime!
If you are in Izu Oshima, you should try the bekko rice bowl (Bekkou don). We ate it as our last meal after the final dive, enjoying all the specialty items the island has to offer. There is a pickled sashimi that is placed on top of the sushi rice. And the beer after having a dive tastes so good.
In the evening, we took the ferry back to Takeshiba pier in Tokyo.
Image: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: JUL 2022, IZU OSHIMA
Special Thanks: Beach Line
Usually, the Blakiston’s fish owls will mate in February and lay two eggs in March. The female warms them for 35 consecutive days, without rest. However, for the Blakiston’s fish owls it is very challenging with various factors influencing the results: like the extreme weather and cold temperatures during breeding; the physical condition of each owl itself; and their past experience of raising chicks. On average only one bird survives until fledging.
At the Blakiston’s fish owl Observatory in Rausu (Washinoyado), the birds can be observed throughout the year, and in June 2022, the pair were able to fledge both chicks for the first time in 15 years! The young birds practiced flying near their nest, and then eventually around August, they would come down to the river with their parents to learn how to catch the fish. Around September, they learned how to hunt for themselves, becoming more independent.
Mother bird showing how to hunt
The mother taking the food to the chicks
Sometimes, there are young birds that cannot fish successfully, and end up on the roadsides to try to eat roadkill. However, they might end up getting hit by cars due to the dark conditions. Thankfully, our two chicks at the Observatory have been safe from this kind of accident so far.
One of the chicks born in 2022
In December, the two will become independent, and then around 2024 they will mature and find their own partners and live somewhere in Shiretoko. I am praying that they can both survive the trials of winter to live long lives.
Image & text: Kaito IMAHORI
This report is based on observations till Oct 2022
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The fall of 2022 was a rough start to the winter for the bears. The pink salmon, which usually go upstream starting from mid-August every year, provide an important source of fat and nutrients for the bears to survive the winter. But this time, there were almost no salmon that came.
A brown bear with the pink salmon, which are dwindling in number
In 2021 was said to be bad with 1/10 the number of salmon compared to the year before. But this year was even more horribly below that. We rarely observed the brown bears in August this year, even though normally we would see them, if we took a boat along the coast. It was thought that the shortage of food would continue, but in September, the chum salmon returned in numbers that were close to the previous years’ numbers.
Chum salmon surfing the waves
The bears which had returned to the forests due to the lack of salmon, came back to the shorelines in September to look for returning salmon. Due to the short period of time, and fierce competition, it was quite difficult for the mother bears with cubs and the younger, weaker bears to get close enough to the beach to catch the salmon. In only a month’s time, the long, harsh winter of Shiretoko will begin.
A mother bear showing her cubs how to fish for salmon
A cub imitating its mother
I hope they can get through the winter, and we can see them again next year.
Photography & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai), observation SEP2022.
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido
Ezo sika deer with the Shiretoko mountain range in the background
The Notsuke Peninsula in the winter has many charms.
One of them was an encounter with the Ezo sika deer, Cervus nippon yesoensis. In the winter, the heavy snowfall causes the deer to face food shortages. The flat Notsuke Peninsula, which juts out into the Nemuro Strait, is well-ventilated with relatively little snowfall, making it a great feeding ground for the Ezo sika deer. Therefore, in winter, you can encounter hundreds of Ezo sika deer all at once.
A group of female Ezo sika deerMale Ezo sika deer
The Notsuke Peninsula is also designated as a wildlife sanctuary, so the Ezo sika deer are not weary of people, therefore close range photography is possible.
In addition, you can see the Shiretoko mountain range and Kunashir Island from the Notsuke Peninsula in good weather. If the visibility is good, you can also see the Akan volcanic complex and Mt. Kamui (also Mt. Mashu). The sun rises behind Kunashir in the morning and then sets on the frozen icy side in the evening, making it an attractive location for photography throughout the day.
View of Kunashir Island (the Northern Territories) in the background
This is located only an hour (one-way) from Shiretoko, Rausu, so it is possible to visit on a day trip, perhaps after an early morning drift ice cruise.
Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The Ezo red foxes live all over Hokkaido island. Officially a subspecies of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki, they inhabit the islands of Hokkaido, Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril Islands.
For those of us who live in Hokkaido, they are a familiar face that we often see in the city. However, people should be careful not to get close to them because they are hosts to a parasite called Echinococcus. Echinococcus (a type of tapeworm) is said to have spread to Hokkaido through fur fox farming in the Aleutian Islands and Kuril Islands. Sadly, the Ezo red fox has become the definitive host of the parasite Echinococcus. There are programs for delivering anthelmintic drugs to the fox population to reduce the infection rate.
A pair of Ezo red foxes during the breeding season (Notsuke Peninsula).A pair of Ezo red foxes during the breeding season (Notsuke Peninsula).
During the summer, Ezo red foxes don’t look very beautiful because their fur sheds unevenly. Unlike the Japanese red foxes of mainland Japan (a subspecies of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes japonica), the Ezo red fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki, which inhabits Hokkaido, north of the Blakiston’s line, has fluffy winter fur and gives it that beautiful look.
The bushy fur covers the Ezo red fox
Also, the whiteness of the snow makes their brown fur stand out. Especially from February to March, during their breeding season, they are often seen in pairs. If you are lucky, you may see them chasing each other playfully, or mating in the forest.
A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.
Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The wild sea otters in Japan, can only be found breeding in the eastern part of Hokkaido. The species that live in this northern coast of Japan are the subspecies Enhydra lutris lutris which uses the Commander and Kuril Islands of Russia. They were overharvested in Japan for their fur in Japan and was once thought to be extinct by the early 20th century, but since the 1980’s they were found to be breeding on the coast and near the islands around Nemuro.
Currently, they can sometimes be observed along the coastline of eastern Hokkaido and around the fishing ports year around, regardless of the season. Around June of every year, you might see the adorable sight of the parents carrying their pups on their bellies.
Sea otters have a very thick layer of fur that has a special adaptation to trap air in between their hairs, which allows them to float all day long with no effort. During the day, they repeatedly dive down and then surface to eat seafood on their stomachs while floating. At night, they will wrap kelp around their bodies to keep from being carried away on the currents while they sleep.
These adorable sea otters actually have many problems due to human activities, so coexistence is a constant challenge for them. Since sea otters in eastern Hokkaido eat sea urchins and northern mussels, fishermen have raised various concerns about the damage they cause to the fishing industry.
Current estimates of sea otter populations say a little more than 12 otters live in the area. Fisheries representatives are looking for ways to balance sea otter conservation and fisheries.
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
