Kushiro's Natural Wonders
Moderate Activity
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
Your day of discovery begins when you board a comfortable motorcoach for a short drive through Kushiro, known as "the misty city," to Kishiro Crane Reserve. Along the way, admire the coastal scenery and the lush wetlands.
Upon arrival at the crane reserve, be sure to have your camera at the ready, as this is an opportunity to capture some magnificent images. Tancho-zuru, the Japanese red-crested crane, is designated as a Special Natural Living Treasure. The strikingly beautiful cranes have been brought back from near extinction and are given free rein in this nature reserve dedicated to their preservation. You'll want to focus your camera to capture the crane's resplendent red crest, snowy white body, black neck, and wings tipped with black. The national reserve has breeding facilities, which have helped the population to thrive, and baby cranes are hatched from May through June.
Your next stop is the spectacular Kushiro Shitsugen Observatory, designated as a national park in 1987. The park is the largest wetland area in Japan and a haven for stunning and varied flora and fauna, some threatened by extinction. The marshland park extends over several communities and covers over 61,000 acres. More than 2,000 varieties of animals and plants thrive in Kushiro. Exploration of the park will delight the nature lover. If you have binoculars, bring them along and keep an eye out for Hokkaido deer, white-tailed sea eagles, Siberian salamanders (survivors of the last glacial age), and the Japanese huchen, a freshwater fish capable of reaching over three feet in length. If you are lucky you may be able to spot one of these creatures. All these creatures make their home in this vast area surrounded by reeds, grasses, rushes and the flowering alder plants. Be sure to stop at an observation point located on the eastern side of the marshland for breathtaking views of the marsh, Kushiro River, and Mount Oakan and Meakan in the distance.
At the completion of the day, return to port with lasting memories and marvelous photographs of this picturesque land.
Points of interest
Crane Reserve
Kushiro Marshland
Schedule
Special Notes
Wear comfortable, casual outdoor wear and flat-soled shoes. Bring a light jacket or windbreaker.
In the Shitsugen Observatory, there are only few English explanation with the exhibits.
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Moderate Activity
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
Your day of discovery begins when you board a comfortable motorcoach for a short drive through Kushiro, known as "the misty city," to Kishiro Crane Reserve. Along the way, admire the coastal scenery and the lush wetlands.
Upon arrival at the crane reserve, be sure to have your camera at the ready, as this is an opportunity to capture some magnificent images. Tancho-zuru, the Japanese red-crested crane, is designated as a Special Natural Living Treasure. The strikingly beautiful cranes have been brought back from near extinction and are given free rein in this nature reserve dedicated to their preservation. You'll want to focus your camera to capture the crane's resplendent red crest, snowy white body, black neck, and wings tipped with black. The national reserve has breeding facilities, which have helped the population to thrive, and baby cranes are hatched from May through June.
Your next stop is the spectacular Kushiro Shitsugen Observatory, designated as a national park in 1987. The park is the largest wetland area in Japan and a haven for stunning and varied flora and fauna, some threatened by extinction. The marshland park extends over several communities and covers over 61,000 acres. More than 2,000 varieties of animals and plants thrive in Kushiro. Exploration of the park will delight the nature lover. If you have binoculars, bring them along and keep an eye out for Hokkaido deer, white-tailed sea eagles, Siberian salamanders (survivors of the last glacial age), and the Japanese huchen, a freshwater fish capable of reaching over three feet in length. If you are lucky you may be able to spot one of these creatures. All these creatures make their home in this vast area surrounded by reeds, grasses, rushes and the flowering alder plants. Be sure to stop at an observation point located on the eastern side of the marshland for breathtaking views of the marsh, Kushiro River, and Mount Oakan and Meakan in the distance.
At the completion of the day, return to port with lasting memories and marvelous photographs of this picturesque land.
Points of interest
Crane Reserve
Kushiro Marshland
Schedule
Special Notes
Wear comfortable, casual outdoor wear and flat-soled shoes. Bring a light jacket or windbreaker.
In the Shitsugen Observatory, there are only few English explanation with the exhibits.