Red-Crowned Crane and Wildlife Guided Tour at Kushiro Marshland
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
Tsurui Village, located in Eastern Hokkaido, is one of the best places to observe the majestic red-crowned cranes, designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. Join our experienced guides from Picchio Shiretoko to witness the breathtaking sight of these cranes in their natural habitat. Afterward, enjoy a scenic drive through the Kushiro Marsh, where you may also encounter Yezo sika deer, Ezo red fox, White tailed eagles, Steller’s sea eagles and other native wildlife.
This tour has everything you need for a perfect experience — full transportation from Kushiro City, a knowledgeable and experienced English-speaking guide, high-quality binoculars for wildlife observation, and a relaxing coffee break.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Kushiro
Transportation from Kushiro town to guiding site and return.
Kushiroshitsugen National Park
We will drive along the road that runs through Kushiro Wetland, the largest wetland in Japan, while searching for wildlife. We'll be looking for one of the largest eagles in the world; Steller's sea eagles and white-tailed eagles, and endemic mammals such as Ezo sika deer.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Binoculars
Coffee and/or Tea
English speaking Nature Guide
Lunch
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Red-Crowned Crane and Wildlife Guided Tour at Kushiro Marshland
Pickup included
Reviews
21 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing Wildlife tour with our guide Yuki
Sara M,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Tour was incredible. Our guide Yuki was incredibly nice and very knowledgeable of the area. The experience we had during the tour exceeded our expectations. We booked a full day tour and Yuki helped us design an itinerary according to our interests. Our focus was on wildlife and we got to see eagles, cranes, deer, foxes,…- Yuki was very knowledgeable of the fauna which helped us understand it better.
Ushering in the new year with Red-crowned cranes
P2412ONbrendah,,Jan 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an amazing start to 2026! My spouse and I joined Yuki, tour guide for Picchio, the reliable and educational conservation company highlighting Japan’s wildlife. Yuki was quite attentive and easy to communicate with from our initial e-mail contact, picking us up at our Kushiro hotel on New Year’s Day. She easily navigated the icy roads through the Kushiro Wetlands, the National Park and Crane Sanctuary where we learned about and observed the crane ecology. Graceful beyond belief, the adult and juvenile birds were active throughout the day and we were able to see many coupled, as a family, or in large groups feeding on the ground or flying against the clear blue skies. As a big “ WOW!”additional bonus we spotted White-Tailed Eagles and Steller’s Sea Eagles. Amazingly we happened to come upon an adult SSE eagle plucking its prey (possibly a tanuki) while driving to Tsurui Village where the cranes are supplementally fed in the winter. The SSE we observed with care was breathtaking. The massive bird of prey with its golden yellow bill and variegated plumage was so handsome. Yuki was careful to keep our distance and not disturb the bird while we quietly viewed the scene. Along our route we saw several cranes at various spots and a stop at the sanctuary where they are fed. Being a holiday some things were not open but we learned about the habitat, history, and comeback of the crane thanks to the government and volunteers who help them through the harsh winter. Yuki kindly extended our tour into the evening at the group’s request to continue on with seeing more species (including fox and deer) and Mt Io, a volcano nearby. We cannot say enough about all of the Picchio tours we have been on which include the Steller’s Sea Eagle and Drift Ice tour in the Shiretoko area as well as the Mususabi (Flying Squirrel) and Forest bird tours in Karuizawa. The guides are easygoing, flexible, knowledgeable and pleasant. Yuki was so sweet, we really appreciated her on this cold and wintry day to make the most of our educational experience. Our New Year’s Day was filled with the crane’s message and symbol of longevity, faithfulness, and peace for the coming year.
Cranes and much more
Weh P,,Dec 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you love nature and you want so see wild animals, this is the right choice. Our guide Yuki is very knowledgeable and knows the places to go to. Stellers sea eagles, not one but some, sikkhas, buzzards, a vain fox, sqirrels and cranes, a lot of them. An exciting adventure. Strong recommendation.
Fabulous Birding Tour
Nomad04954545391,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yuki was fantastic! She had a scope and very nice binoculars for us to use. We got to see numerous birds and animals Her English is great and she was very informative. 🥰 Plus, we did not feel rushed at all; which was very nice!
Amazing experience and guide
E5694YUkristinag,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was easily one of the best tours we’ve done. Yuki was a fantastic guide - informative, attentive and adjusted the activities to our needs. The morning was spent in the marshland looking for animals. We were super lucky and saw foxes, deer, squirrels, both types of sea eagles, buzzards, and cranes. We also went to the crane feeding area where we saw even more cranes. Then we went for a tasty lunch at a local place. After that we moved up to mt io and kussharo, where we saw active volcanic activity, a beautiful sunset , and learned about the local folklore. Lastly we went to where the cranes sleep by the river on the way back, and did a bit of a night safari looking for tanuki. Although we didn’t didn’t find the tanuki , we did see deer and an owl, which was great. I highly recommend this tour and especially Yuki! Thank you for the amazing experience.
Great Tour - Yuki is an excellent Guide.
Siddharth89,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful experience with Yuki. She is an excellent guide and we saw many native species. We highly recommend this tour. We opted for the full day private tour and it was worth it.
Not to be missed!
juliegQ8953OQ,,Dec 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00That was great! Yuki san was very kind and a very good guide, she explained everything about animals and we had good equipment to observe them. We saw eagles, cranes, deer, a buzard, but also a squirrel and a fox nearby!
Love to experience again
hoj979,,Dec 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The trip is interesting ,and the guide Ms Yuki is so nice ,she explained me any birds we seen and others information I’m definitely going to introduce everyone
Wildlife experience in Kushiro
Koh Sing T,,Dec 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yuki san was our wildlife guide for this tour. Yuki has been excellent in introducing the wildlife in Hokkaido and showcasing her knowledge of wildlife to the details of identifying the species of birds, the habitats and behaviours of the species of birds that we saw today. Thanks to her expertise and experience, we were able to observe several deers, the rare Steller’s sea eagle, herds of red-crowned cranes, blizzards, swans. Yuki provided binoculars and also had her telescope to observe the birds from a far distance.
Lifetime birding experience in Kushiro
Exploration310697,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an amazing experience, both in terms of the target birds seen ( Red-Crowned Crane and Stellar’s Sea Eagle) and in the professionalism of our tour guide, who spoke fluent English and was both friendly and knowledgeable. This was a truly enjoyable tour. Thank you!
Related Experiences
Operated by Picchio Shiretoko