(Mt Fuji - Matsumoto - Obuse - Yudanaka Onsen) - Tsurui - Lake Kussharo - Mt. Iou - Notsuke Peninsula - Rausu - Aidomari - Nemuro - Lake Furen - Kiritappu Wetland
Take a vacation to Japan on one of our three Japan Photography Expeditions. These three itineraries offer travelers searching for the perfect Japan nature photography tour three options to choose from. Step outside Tokyo for picture-perfect views of Mount Fuji and photos of curious snow monkeys. Journey through Hokkaido for memorable pictures of the northern island's must-see wild birds and animals. Or combine the two into one of the best Japan Birding and Wildlife Photography Tours yo... View More
Take a vacation to Japan on one of our three Japan
Photography Expeditions. These three itineraries offer
travelers searching for the perfect Japan nature
photography tour three options to choose from. Step
outside Tokyo for picture-perfect views of Mount Fuji and
photos of curious snow monkeys. Journey through
Hokkaido for memorable pictures of the northern
island's
must-see wild birds and animals. Or combine the two
into
one of the best Japan Birding and Wildlife Photography
Tours you'll ever find.
The first tour, our Beyond Tokyo - Mount Fuji and Snow
Monkeys Winter Photography Tour is a 5-day itinerary
that takes you outside Japan's bustling capital to
capture
on film two of Honshu's most celebrated natural
wonders:
Mount Fuji and its surrounding area, and the adorable
Snow Monkeys of the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.
The tour begins with a Mount Fuji Photography Tour in
the picturesque Fuji Five Lakes region, which offers
some splendid views of the iconic mountain and other
beautiful nature scenes. Each of the lakes has its own
natural charms, including towns with preserved Edo-era
buildings and groves of ancient trees covering the hilly
landscape. After, we travel to Yudanaka Onsen in
Nagano, stopping over at Matsumoto to see the
imposing
Matsumoto Castle, and again at Obuse, which
preserves
the woodblock print artworks of the Edo-era artist
Hokusai at the Hokusai museum. Finally, at Yudanaka
Onsen, we visit the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. The
snow monkey is also known as the Japanese macaque
and can be photographed bathing in a natural hot
spring.
The second tour is our Charms of Hokkaido Birding and
Wildlife Photography Tour - a 9-day Hokkaido trip
carefully crafted to contain some of Japan's most
famous
wild birds and animals. The tour begins in Tsurui - a
town
in the Kushiro region known as the top spot for viewing
the Tancho Red-crowned crane. Find that perfect picture
of this elegant and iconic bird in feeding or roosting
grounds at Tsurumidai, the Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary,
and Otawa Bridge. The tour continues to Lake
Kussharo:
a large lake in the Akan-Mashu National Park where the
gorgeous white Whooper swan can be seen roosting
near a local open-air hot spring. We explore around
Mount Iou - a local active volcano - before proceeding to
the Notsuke Peninsula to search for the Ezo Deer and
Hokkaido Fox. Next, in Rausu on the Shiretoko
Peninsula, we look for Blakiston's Fish Owl, one of the
largest owls in the world and a sacred bird to the
indigenous Ainu people. We also take a nature cruise to
view the assorted variety of sea birds that can be seen
off the coast of the peninsula. In Aidomari, which is the
furthest point up Shiretoko you can travel by car, we can
see the colorful Harlequin Duck among other sea birds
of
the region. We take cruise off the coast of Nemuro for
more opportunities to see the countless native birds of
the area. Over Lake Furen we can find the enormous
Steller's Sea Eagle and White-Tailed Eagle in large
groups around the brackish lake. After, we explore the
Kiritappu Wetland - a Ramsar Site that hosts cranes,
ducks, swans, and other local birds in winter.
And if, while reading, you feel like you might like to try
both, than the final tour is the best choice for you. Our
Hokkaido and Beyond - Birding and Wildlife Winter
Photography Tour, is a perfect combination of these two
itineraries, including both the experiences on Honshu
island with Mount Fuji and the Snow Monkeys, as well
as
the best birds and wildlife of Hokkaido - the Red-
Crowned Crane, Whooper Swan, Steller's Sea Eagle,
Blakiston's Fish Owl, and countless more of Hokkaido's
collection of wild birds.
Choose one of our professionally crafted Japan
Photography Expeditions, and take in the beautiful
nature and wildlife of Japan through the lens of your
camera. Our tours include comfortable transportation on
one of our private coaches and the assistance of an
expert Japan birding guide. Please browse our
itineraries
for more information.