Japan's Far East
8 Day Wildlife & Adventure Tour

After breakfast at hotel, we will head for Lake Akan in the Akan–Mashu National Park. Lake Akan is a hot spot for hiking, fishing, bathing in hot springs, as the lake is located between the majestic Mt Oakandake and Mt Meakandake volcanic peaks. It is also a cultural hub for Ainu, the indigenous people of Northern Japan, where you find a variety of handcraft shops and galleries on the main street of the village.

Here we will be joined by a local Ainu guide who will take us for a leisurely walk destined for a ”bokke”, the site where we see the bubbling mud on the shore of Lake Akan. While we walk we hear folklore stories and learn about the culture and customs of Ainu who worship the wildlife and have lived in harmony with the nature.

After lunch in the Akan village, we travel onto Kawayu Onsen. In Japanese kawa means river & yu means hot water and as true to its name, there is a hot water river running through the village centre of Kawayu. We will hike to the source of the thermal springs that feed the river, Mt Iōzan, on an easy 2.5 km/1.6 miles trail from Kawayu village.

A young active volcano, Mt Iōzan has steam constantly discharging from its fumaroles, which provide spectacular views. Hokkaido’s indigenous Ainu people named this mountain ”Atosanupuri”, which means ”naked mountain” due to no vegetation growing on its slopes.

We will return on the same trail back to our vehicle in Kawayu Onsen, and drive 10 mins to our accommodation at Lake Kussharo. We will enjoy our meal and bathing in hot springs at our accommodation tonight.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Lodge at Lake Kussharo
Activity
– Walking
Walking distance
– 7.5km / 4.2miles (3 hours)

We will spend the morning exploring Lake Kussharo by canoe. We will get started at the foot of Wakoto Hanto, a small peninsula that was once an island floating in the lake.

It is easy to imagine the Wakoto Peninsula being formed by volcanic activity, as we explore the peninsula in our canoes we will witness steam vents and hot springs surging from the ground on the shore. We will have morning tea when we land near ”Oyakotsu Jigoku”, where we will cook eggs in the geothermal steam!

After we enjoy an outdoor lunch, we have a 1.5 hours drive northeast to Shiretoko, which in the Ainu language means ”the land’s end”. We call in to the Shiretoko World Heritage Centre in Utoro before settling into our accommodation.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Hotel in Utoro Shiretoko
Activity
– Canoeing (3 hours)

Surrounded by the Sea of Okhotsk, most of the Shiretoko Peninsula has been preserved as a National Park since 1964 and was also designated as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005.

Approximately 7,000 people live on this Peninsula, but their homes are concentrated in two towns: Utoro on the northern side, and Rausu on the southern side. The rest of the peninsula remains untouched and is a habitat for wildlife, such as Brown bears, Japanese deers, Red foxes, Eurasian red squirrels. Needless to say, the marine and bird life are also rich in diversity.

This morning, we explore Shiretoko on land, walking to Shiretoko Five Lakes. We will receive a mini-lecture before heading into the territory of Brown bears. We aim to complete the entire walkway to visit all five of the lakes, unless the walkway is closed due to a bear on the trail.

In the afternoon, we cross over the Shiretoko Pass to Rausu, a thriving fishing village. We’ll board on a local fisherman’s boat for 2.5 hours to explore the southern coast of the peninsula from the sea. If we are lucky we may spot a Brown bear or two wandering in search of food, often salmon in the autumn months. We make Rausu our home for the next two nights.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity
– Walking
Walking istance
– 3km / 1.9miles (1.5 hours)

The Rausu coast also features a deep ocean trench, making it a favourite home for marine mammals such as Sperm whales and Dall’s porpoises. This morning we board on a larger boat than yesterday to journey further offshore to try and spot these sea mammals and sea birds.

The afternoon is free for everyone to enjoy some free time: relaxing in your room or exploring Rausu town on foot. If you are an onsen lover, we can head out together to either Aidomari Onsen or Kuma-No-Yu, which are free outdoor onsens looked after by the local communities. We regroup in the evening and dine out in town.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
– Lodge in Rausu Shiretoko
Activity
– Boat cruise (2.5 hours)

This morning we travel by van for 1.5 hours down the southern coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula, heading for Yoroushi Onsen, a peaceful hot spring village nestled in the forest near Nakashibetsu.

We will explore the area by foot, with the option of hiking either near Mt Moanyama (356m / 1,168ft) or up Mt Risuke (787m / 2582ft) set behind Lake Mashu, depending on the weather and the hiking levels of the group.

The relatively flat trail near Mt Moanyama is maintained by the local farming community and provides a unique walking experience amid the ranches. The climb to Mt Risuke is more strenuous, but the view of Lake Mashu from the top is well worth the exercise. We will enjoy picnic lunch during our walking/hiking.

On returning to our accommodation, you can enjoy soaking in the outdoor onsen listening to the sounds of the river and surrounding nature.

Tonight’s accommodation will also be popular with bird lovers, as Blakiston’s fish owls visit from time to time to feed along the river running by our accommodation.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
– Ryokan in Yoroushi Onsen
Activity
– Hiking
Hiking distance
– 4.5 km / 2.8 miles (3 hours)

Today we have an easy morning as we travel south in the van for 1.5 hours to Hamanaka Town, a prosperous fishing and dairy farming town located on the southern coast of Hokkaido. We call into scenic Cape Kiritappu, where we can spot wild sea otters if we are lucky.

* We will then meet up with local fishing families and share a hands-on lunch with them. We will prepare sea urchins and make ”dashi”, kelp stock used for making miso soup. We will enjoy this seafood lunch with the local families, fuelling up for our afternoon canoeing on the Kiritappu Wetland.*

* Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic we are unable to have the social lunch and will instead enjoy a seafood lunch at Kiritappu in our group.

Although the scale of the wetlands in Kiritappu is not as significant as those in Kushiro, its narrow river channels are fantastic for canoeing. We will float peacefully through the wetland and experience the ecosystem up close.

Tonight we either overnight at a lodge in Hamanka or at a hotel in Kushiro depending on the room requirements of the group.

Included meals
– Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
– Lodge in Hamanaka
Activity
– Canoeing (2 hours)

We say goodbye to our host and then drive 1.5 hours to Kushiro City to complete the tour. We can drop you off at either Kushiro JR Station at around 11:00 am or Kushiro Airport at 11:30 am.

Included meals
– Breakfast
No Activity