Japan's Far East
7 Day Wild Winter Tour

We’ll have breakfast at the hotel, then head south for Lake Kussharo, where a flock of Whooper Swans spend the winter. Lake Kussharo, found in the Akan–Mashu National Park, is the largest caldera lake in Japan. In winter, nearly all of the lake’s surface is frozen, save for some parts of the shore where hot spring water bubbles up from underground. The swans flock to these hot water areas to have an onsen soak!
We will explore the lakeshore on snowshoes, hoping to spot avian visitors to the forest. Some birds commonly seen in the area are Woodpeckers, Tits, Eurasian Nuthatch and the Eurasian Jay. They will keep you busy with your binoculars. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch if the weather is favourable, otherwise, have lunch at a local cafe.
We will leave for Utoro in the afternoon. Utoro is a gateway town to the Shiretoko National Park. The national park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we will call by the World Heritage information centre before checking in to our accommodation for the night.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Lodge in Utoro Shiretoko
Activities
– Snowshoeing (2 hours)

Ready to wake up with a dip in the icy ocean? Well, this morning is all about that! The dry suits will keep us afloat, dry and warm; So don’t worry if you are not a good swimmer.

After breakfast at our hotel, we go meet our guides, receive safety instructions and get geared up to soak in the cold sea. We keep our normal winter clothes on, such as fleece and light down jacket, layered beneath our drysuits.

The exact location of our walk/swim depends on the locations of the ice on the day, which has drifted all the way south from the north of Sakhalin to the coast of Shiretoko. The drift ice is a natural phenomenon that can be seen on the Okhotsk coast every winter, generally from February to March. However, the scale of the ice has been observably shrinking in recent years due to climate change.

After we enjoy the experience of walking on the floating ice, we come back ashore and have lunch in Utoro. The afternoon sees us travel to the other side of Shiretoko Peninsula to the fishery town of Rausu. In the evening, we visit an outdoor onsen hot spring, which is maintained by local volunteers passionate about hot spring bathing.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Lodge in Rausu Shiretoko
Activities
– Walking on the drift ice (1.5 hours)

This morning we board on a cruise to explore the coastline on the Rausu side of Shiretoko. Renowned for its kombu seaweed and sea urchin, the peculiar submarine topography makes Rausu a prosperous fishing town. It’s not just humans that visit to fish though, the rich waters attract all sorts of wildlife and the local fishers have recently started to offer wildlife watching cruises.

After having breakfast at our hotel, we set out for a 2.5-hour cruise with Shiretoko Nature Cruise. If we are lucky we will see Steller’s sea eagles, White-tailed eagles, Brunnich’s guillemots, and Steller sea lions. After the cruise, we will have lunch in downtown Rausu before travelling on to Yoroushi Onsen.

It’s not just hot spring visitors who come to Yoroushi Onsen. A few Blakiston’s Fish Owls visit from time to time to feed in the river running behind the hotel. The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is the largest owl in the world and has lived in Hokkaido’s forests for centuries. The Ainu people worship it as the kotan-kor-kamuy, the protector of the village.

While it is impossible to know when the owls turn up. The hotel has a comfortable viewing lounge where you can relax on comfortable sofas while you stay up and wait for their visit. When they arrive the large windows let you photograph them from the warm indoors. What else could you ask for!

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Ryokan in Yoroushi Onsen
Activities
– Bird watching cruise (2.5 hours)

After staying up late to wait for the appearance of the owls, wake yourself up with a soak in the hot springs. The onsen is open throughout the night into the morning at Yoroushi Onsen. Japanese visitors commonly take a bath before breakfast at these onsen retreats.

This morning we depart for the Lake Mashu lookout, where we walk with snowshoes along the outer rim of Mashu caldera. The lake is known as Misty Mashu for its mist and fog that frequently settle in the caldera, creating mystical landscapes. We take in the serene views of the surrounding nature covered in snow; before transferring to the Lake Akan onsen village.

We have dinner at our lodging and then go out for an Ainu night concert at the Lake Akan Ainu Kotan (settlement). Like many other indigenous cultures, the Ainu did not have forms of writing; their folklore is deeply embedded in songs and dances that vary from region to region. Tonight we appreciate the traditions presented by the Akan Ainu.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Hotel in Lake Akan Onsen
Activities
– Snowshoeing (3 hours)

Forming part of the Akan–Mashu National Park, Lake Akan is a picturesque area to explore on foot, with volcanoes and native forests surrounding the caldera lake. After having breakfast at our hotel, we venture into the forest guided by a local Ainu. Our guide will teach us about Ainu history and their way of life living in harmony with nature.

We have lunch at a restaurant run by a local Ainu family to experience the Ainu gastronomy before we head southwards to Tsurui village.

Tsurui is famous for the successful recovery of Tancho cranes, their population has regained to over 1,200 in the area surrounding Tsurui, with a reasonably high chance to see one even from the road. We visit the Ito Tancho Sanctuary to observe the cranes and learn about the community efforts which have contributed to their recuperation.

Our lodging tonight has unique Moor hot spring containing plant-derived organic substances. The Tancho gallery/bar in the annex makes a perfect setting to celebrate the final night together.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Acommodation
– Hotel in Tsurui
Activities
– Snowshoeing (1.5 hours)

For early birds and keen birders, we can get up before dawn to go out to see the Tancho crane’s morning takeoff. The Tancho nest in the river next to our lodging. They spend the night in a flock and leave all at the same time to feed.

We have breakfast at a more civilised hour at our lodging and then drive about 1 hour to Kushiro City to complete the tour. We can drop you off at either Kushiro JR Station or Kushiro Airport between 10 am and 11 am.

Included meals
– Breakfast only
Activities
– None