Shiretoko Serai - Wildlife of Japan

2023.05.02 update

Shakotan’s Undersea Columnar Joints and Hokkaido’s Marine Life

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.

Ishikawa Sculpin　Furcina ishikawae

Nijikajika　Alcichthys elongatus

Pietsch Sculpin (Himefutasjikajika)　Icelinus pietschi

Akiginpo　Chirolophis saitone

Far Eastern Shrimp Pandalus prensor Stimpson. Beautiful blue speckles. If eating it raw, it tastes like sweet pink shrimp.

Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus. There are many legs, just like sunrays.

When you take a macro shot, it looks like a flower garden.

The coastal area’s rock walls which are carved by the waves, are a treasure trove for macro photography.

The kelp was a bit wilted, but the coral and kelp were beautiful.

Unfortunately, I could not eat the sea urchin because fishing was prohibited from August 31st. I decided to revisit Shakotan again in the future.

Image & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Sep 2022、Shakotan, 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.

Tags: Columnar Joints, Dive in Japan, Shiretoko Serai, Scuba dive in Japan, Diving in Japan, Saiyu Travel Japan, Dive in Hokkaido, Shakotan, Sea of Hokkaido, Saiyu Travel, Shakotan Blue

2023.03.03 update

Wildlife Sightings for January in Eastern Hokkaido

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).

White-Tailed Eagle (Rausu, Notsuke Peninsula, Nemuro)

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.

Steller’s Sea Eagle (Rausu, Notsuke Peninsula, Nemuro)

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

*Youtube : Wildlife of Japan

Tags: Bird photography in Japan, Tsurui village, Winter Hokkaido, Crane Dance, Blakiston’s Fish Owl, Owl Photography, Rausu, Blakiston’s Fish Owl observatory, Washi no yado, Shiretoko Serai, Shiretoko, Widlife in Japan, Ural Owl, Red-crowned Crane, Saiyu Travel, Birds of Hokkaido, Tancho, Owl, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan

2023.01.03 update

Raising The Next Generation of Blakiston’s Fish Owl; Observed in Rausu

Two chicks were born in 2022

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

Tags: Washi no yado, Shiretoko Serai, Birds of Hokkaido, Saiyu Travel, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Owl, Bird photography in Japan, Rausu, Winter Hokkaido, Shiretoko, Widlife in Japan, Blakiston’s Fish Owl, Blakiston’s Fish Owl observatory

2022.12.23 update

Brown Bears Awaiting The Salmon Run On 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

Rausu : Where the Killer Whales Gather

Blakiston’s fish owl that lives in the forest of Shiretoko

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 1)

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 2)

Tags: Salmon Run Hokkaido, Ezo Higuma, Higuma Photography boat, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Kaito IMAHORI, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Shiretoko Serai, Saiyu Travel, Rausu, Hokkaido, Shiretoko, Wildlife, Salmon Run, Brown Bear, Brown bear Boat, Higuma

2022.12.05 update

Ezo Sika Deer of the Notsuke Peninsula in Winter

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.

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)

Tags: 知床サライ, Shohei Morita, Shiretoko Serai, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Wildlife of Japan, エゾシカ, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Shohei Morita Photography, Ezo-shika-deer, Notsuke Peninsula, Hokkaido deer, Sika deer, Widlife in Japan

2022.09.20 update

Steller’s Sea Eagles and the White-tailed Eagles Living in the Drift Ice in the Sea

White-tailed eagle, at fishing port in Rausu

This year (2022), many Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles have come to Shiretoko and Rausu to pass the winter. This year, about 300 Steller’s sea eagles and about 120 white-tailed eagles, made a total of 420 birds that were observed at one time.

Rausu has long been used by many eagles during the winter months. A big reason for that is the fishing industry. In winter, cod fishing reaches its peak in the Nemuro Strait between Rausu and Kunashir Island. Until 30-40 years ago, Rausu accounted for nearly half of all Hokkaido catches, with 110,000 tons of fish being caught in 1989, the catch was the highest. At that time, the ships were overflowing with fish, and the eagles were busy eating them. Today the harvest has decreased to about 10,000 tons a year, so the fish no longer overflow from the boats. Now, the tourist boats serve the role that the fishing vessels once did, giving them the fish to eat to help the Eagles survive the winter.

Steller’s Sea Eagles and White-tailed Eagles gathered around the tourist boats.

Photography & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai)

Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido

Rausu : Where the Killer Whales Gather

Blakiston’s fish owl that lives in the forest of Shiretoko

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 1)

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 2)

Tags: 知床, Birds of Hokkaido, Kaito Imahori Photography, Eagle photography of Japan, Birding tour Japan, Birds of Japan, White-tailed eagle, Birds Photography of Japan, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Rausu sunrise drift ice cruise, Bird watching tour Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Shiretoko peninsula, Bird Watching Japan, Oowashi, Wildlife in Japan, Ojirowashi, 知床サライ, Eagle fighting, Kaito IMAHORI, White-tailed sea eagle, Eagle in action, Shiretoko Serai, Steller's sea eagle, Shiretoko, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Rausu, Drift ice cruise, Wildlife of Japan, 羅臼, Rausu drift ice cruise

2022.08.01 update

Traditional Summer in Shiretoko Rausu: Kelp Harvesting

Our guesthouse in Rausu, Shiretoko Serai’s Nature guide, Shouhei Morita sent us a report from the 2021 Summer Season. It is actually not a wildlife report, but an article about ‘Local Foods’ of Rausu where we can introduce more about the bounties of the sea.

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Unfortunately, this year the Shiretoko summer season experienced a smaller catch of fish then usual.

Since kelp is harvested every 2 years, based on the growth rates from one year, the fishermen predicted that “Sadly, next year’s harvest will not yield very much.”

The harvest is conducted from late July to the end of August. During the kelp harvest, you can see the kelp lined up on the stone beach on the way to the Aidomari fishing port, only 25 minutes away from central Rausu by car. At its peak, the whole town is wrapped in the nice scent of kelp.

Rausu kelp, which is treated as the finest product in Japan, is carefully produced by hand for a majority of the 23 processes, with the whole family pitching in. The white powder on the surface of the kelp is not mold, but is another product. It is a sugar called Mannitol, which is sweet and umami ingredients.

One of the things that makes Rausu kelp special is this white powder on the surface. This year was a not a very good year, and only a small quantity of high quality kelp could be shipped out.

In recent years, kelp has finally been recognized world-wide. Rausu kelp contains plenty of marine minerals from Shiretoko. It is a unique sight of “Rausu’s fishing village,” where we can see the kelp being processed and harvested up close.

Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)

Tags: 知床, Wildlife in Japan, 知床サライ, Rausu Kelp, Umami, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Rausu Kombu, Wildlife of Japan, Shohei Morita, Shiretoko Serai, Rausu, Shiretoko peninsula, Ojirowashi

2022.04.27 update

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 2)

Flight of the Snow Goose and Cackling Goose

This is the second part of Kaito Imahori’s tour report of the October 26 – 30, 2021 tour.

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 1)

On the 3rd day of our tour, I went in search of the Snow Goose just before daybreak. Just upon my arrival, I heard the noise and when I looked out, the geese were flying all around me!

I went down to the wetland, and could see many Snow Geese and Cackling Geese. Over and over again, I could see about 1000 Snow Geese swirling over my head, as they took flight and landed. It was a relatively short distance away and I could observe them from the car, so it was a great time.

In the afternoon of the second day at that location, I went to observe the Ural Owl, but unfortunately, I could not find it. In the park, I saw the Hokkaido Squirrel, running about and they were so cute.

Again in the evening, I went in search of the flocks of Cackling Goose, but they were in a totally different spot. The evening light shone on them beautifully as they were spread out across the open field.

The Snow Geese and Cackling Geese flying at dusk

On the 4th day, we went in search of the pikas in the mountains. When I was waiting quietly in the morning, I could hear it calling and could make a sighting as well! While I was there, I heard a noise of rustling in the distance and saw a brown bear, so decided to descend from the mountain for safety. Then as we neared our car, and did a quick search nearby, we found another pika and everyone in the group could see it! We were so elated!

After we descended from the mountain, we looked for the Hokkaido squirrel in the afternoon. I was able to capture this lovely moment of a little squirrel standing on a carpet of yellow leaves of the Ginko trees.

In the evening, upon the request of one of the group members, I went looking for a Hazel Grouse. I couldn’t get a good photo, but we did get a great chance to see a male Hazel Grouse take flight directly in front of us. We ended this day watching the sunset from the observatory, as it silhouetted the Hidaka Mountain range.

On the final day of the tour, I set out before sunrise to catch the flocks of snow geese, but the swamp was so quiet. When the sun rose, we could see there were no geese in the water. It seems they all returned to the mainland sometime in the evening the day before! It was too bad we could not see them on our final day, but as we looked out over the quiet wetlands, I offered a prayer that they could all safely navigate their migration ahead.

As a final stop, we stopped in Obihiro City’s park to look for some more bird species. We were looking for bird species that we still had not yet seen, like the Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, which we were able to see. We even got to see another Hokkaido Squirrel.

We were able to see a total of 7 species of Geese during the tour. It is only in Hokkaido that you can see all the species that can be found in Japan, in one single tour. And easily, at that, if you move from location to location in time to see their migrations. In the spring, the geese will come back where there is still snow on the ground, so please come then to see them! Thanks for reading this report and hope to see you here!

Photo & text: Kaito IMAHORI
Tour date: 26-30 Oct 2021, Tokachi, Hokkaido

Tags: Snow Geese, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, Tokachi Plain, Cackling Geese, Geese migration, Birding tour Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, 十勝平野, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Tokachi heiya, Bird watching tour Japan, Eurasian Nuthatch, Birds of Hokkaido, Hakugan, Bird Watching Japan, Marsh Tit, Birds of Japan, Kaito Imahori Photography, Wildlife in Japan, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, 知床サライ, Hokkaido Squirrel, Wildlife tour in Japan, Kaito IMAHORI, Pika, Birds Photography of Japan, Shiretoko Serai

2022.04.15 update

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 1)

The Flock of Brant Goose, Notsuke Bay, Hokkaio

This is a report from Saiyu Travel’s Bird Guide, Kaito IMAHORI for a trip from October 26 to October 30, 2021.

Experiencing Autumn From the Notsuke Peninsula to Tokachi Plain: Seeing Flocks of Snow Geese, Brandt, and Pika (Part 2)

Arrived at the Notsuke Peninsula. The main purpose of this tour is to observe a particular species of goose. The Notsuke Peninsula is a famous migration stopover for the Brant Goose, which is designated as a National Natural Monument, and up to about 5,000 birds can be seen at this location. Looking out at Notsuke Bay, there are many black and slightly larger birds at the surface! Immediately, we accomplished our goal, to see the Brant. There are many spread far apart, but a quick count reveals a flock of over 1000 birds.

Whooper swans foraging with the Brant Geese nearby

After further observation, a white colored swan is mixed in with the Brandt. When I was trying to confirm the new species we were seeing, there, mixed in with the Whooper Swans, were actually two individuals of the flock that were slightly smaller and had a round yellow pattern on the beak. They are the Tundra swan. So this confirmation made it the third type of waterfowl observed.

As we went up the shoreline, there were other wintering birds, the Glaucous Gulls up on the shore. Can you see a difference in the two species that are there, the more common species of Hokkaido, the Slaty-backed Gulls (with the darker wings), and their size is different as well.

On our return trip we further enjoyed the Notsuke Penninsula, as we saw red foxes, and a male deer chasing after a female deer. We headed to Nemuro feeling fulfilled.

The male deer chasing after the female deer

On the second day of the tour, we started from Lake Sunset, our inn on the Shores of Lake Furen.

Very close by is the Shunkunitai Wild Bird Sanctuary, where we could observe from a distance a pair of Red-crowned Cranes and a flock of Northern Pintails. From here, we drove to Tsuri Village. We made a short detour along the way to observe a Ural Owl. Then, during lunch, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk showed up and gave us a nice long arcing swirl overhead.

From the afternoon, we moved to observe the Japanese cranes in Tsurui Village. The autumn leaves were finishing their color show, but the yellow leaves of the Japanese larch still remained and were very beautiful.

Towards the end, the two cranes did their mating dance, and it was the best closing act!
We watched over our shoulders as the last of the cranes flew off, and we headed to Tokachi.

Photo ＆Text: Kaito IMAHORI
Tour date: 26-30 Oct 2021, Notsuke Peninsula, Lake Furen, Tsurui village

Tags: Birds of Hokkaido, Kaito Imahori Photography, Birding tour Japan, 羅臼, Birds of Japan, Bird tour Japan, 野付半島, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Bird watching tour Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Hokkaido Sika Deer, Red-crowned Crane, Wildlife of Hokkaio, Ezo Sika Deer, Whooper swan, Notsuke Peninsula, Wildlife in Japan, Brant goose, Birds Photography of Japan, 知床サライ, Tundra swan, Kaito IMAHORI, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Shiretoko Serai, Wildlife of Japan, タンチョウ, Notsuke, Wildlife in Hokkaido

2022.04.03 update

Shiretoko Peninsula: Brown Bears and Whales Drifting Ashore

Our guestouse in Rausu, Shiretoko Serai’s nature guide, Shohei Morita wrote a report from the 2021 Summer Season!

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This year I could see many brown bears!

Along the Shiretoko Pass which connects Rausu to Utoro, I could see brown bears many times along the way. Due to the pandemic and its effects, this year the tourists coming to Shiretoko Peninsula was much less than usual, so we had less traffic, compared to before.

Also, I could see many brown bears on the boat cruises that leave from Rausu’s Aidomari fishing port. We used the small boat that is usually used for Kelp farming, and I was able to get this shot of the bear from the boat. From summer to autumn, brown bears are attracted to the small rivers along the coast to catch the salmon run.

Year after year, the number of salmon are decreasing while the number of fishermen continues to increase. This makes the situation difficult and a lot of stress on the bears. But despite that, I saw a momma bear teaching her cub how to catch salmon.

There was an unusual encounter with the carcass of a whale washed ashore, and the brown bears gathered around it. It is said that it has been more than 10 years since a large whale had been washed ashore.

It is a large whale, perhaps either a fin whale or a humpback whale.

This is a mother bear with her two cubs who had been born this year. This year’s bad fishing year made the national news, but locally, for the fisherman and especially for the brown bears, it was a big blow. I just hope that this abnormal situation in the sea will end as soon as possible, and that there can be a return of the “Rich seas of Shiretoko.”
And I hope that these two cubs can survive the winter.

Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)
Observation: Summer – Autumn 2021, Rausu, Shiretoko, Hokkaido

Tags: Brown Bear Photography Boat, Shiretoko Serai, Shireoko, Shireoko Misaki, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Shiretoko peninsula, Cape Shiretoko, 羅臼, Shiretoko, Shari, Shohei Morita Photography, Aidomari, Brown Bear, Rusha, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Ezo-brown bear, Rusha River, Wildlife of Japan, Higuma, 知床, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Ezo Higuma, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Brown Bear Photography, 知床サライ, Higuma Photography boat, Shohei Morita, Rausu