Best known for
Red-crowned cranes, Steller's sea eagles, snow monkeys, and Hokkaido's drift ice, bears and whales
The range
From the snow monkeys of Nagano to the wild peninsulas of eastern Hokkaido and subtropical Yakushima
Why it's special
One of the world's great winter wildlife and photography destinations, in deep comfort
How to travel
Comfortable hotels and ryokan, with specialist photo cruises and crane and eagle sites
Overview
A wildlife photographer’s winter dream — dancing red-crowned cranes, Steller’s sea eagles on the drift ice, snow monkeys in the hot springs, and the wild bears and whales of Hokkaido.
Where to go
Destinations in Japan
Crane wetlands · Hokkaido, Japan
Kushiro
UNESCO wilderness peninsula · Hokkaido, Japan
Shiretoko National Park
Snow monkeys · Nagano, Japan
Jigokudani
Frozen lake & forest · Hokkaido, Japan
Lake Akan
Drift ice & sea eagles · Hokkaido, Japan
Rausu
Ancient cedar forest · Japan
Yakushima
View all 7 destinations
When to come — honestly
When to go
December – February
Best
Peak winter wildlife — cranes, sea eagles, fish owls and snow monkeys.
May – September
Good
Hokkaido's summer — brown bears, orcas and humpback whales.
Year-round
Good
A year-round wildlife destination; winter and summer offer very different highlights.
Travel to Japan
Private, tailor-made journeys across Japan, designed around you and timed around the wildlife.
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