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‘s Included
Private transportation
Binoculars
Coffee and/or Tea
English speaking Nature Guide
Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
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.
Options
Red-Crowned Crane and Wildlife Guided Tour at Kushiro Marshland
Pickup included
Reviews
8 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Well worth it if you're in the area in winter
Cipayung,
Mar 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fantastic time. Our guide Yuki really knew her stuff and showed us things that we would never have found ourselves. We were the only people on our tour so had flexibility to stop when we wanted. We saw cranes, deer, a fox, woodpecker and Hokkaido horses but no eagle. What was billed as a four-hour trip turned into five hours as we watched the sun set over a river with cranes settling down for the night in the water. The only downside was that we were a bit late in the season so missed the mating dances. Best to go in February to see those.
An absolute must if in the area
Wendy119186363,
Feb 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a beautiful experience in the snowy depths of winter, being able to watch these elegant creatures move, fly, dance so close up. As it was cold you could see their breath as they made their cries. One puff for the males and two smaller puffs from the females as their cries are different. Our guide Yuka was able to imitate these sounds well. We also visited their night time resting place the following morning just before sunrise which was a very special experience, almost ethereal in the dawn mist. The viewing bridge does become VERY crowded with photographers - it's like the paparazzi.
Great tour and enjoyable drive and nature walk
DTSydney,
Feb 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour. We got to see red crown cranes, stellar and white tail eagles, other birds and lots of dear. Our guide Yuki was high informative and helpful. The walk through the marshlands was also very informative and enjoyable. Highly recommended
Cranes, deer, and foxes!
Ricardo F,
Feb 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour was exactly as we imagined. It was like a snowy safari. We saw many cranes, as well as deer, eagles, and other birds. Additionally, Makoto was a great tour guide and he drove us throughout the wetland area through amazing landscapes. My only problem is that I wish the tour was a full day instead of half day!
Excellent tour
Sophia E,
Feb 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Had an absolutely excellent tour with Makoto (Mark) earlier this week. We saw deer, eagles and of course the red crowned cranes, he also provided binoculars for all of us which was appreciated too and he was very knowledgeable about the cranes and the other wildlife we saw. Makoto very kindly drove to the port afterwards too so I could see the sunset - it was so nice of him and the whole tour was such a lovely experience! I hesitated because it was a long way to travel for the tour but I’m so glad I did, it really nicely completed my trip to Hokkaido - thank you!
Great day trip to see the red crowned cranes. Fantastic guide.
kellyl276,
Feb 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic day out with Mark as our guide. There was just me and my husband in the morning so it was more like a private tour. We went for a walk along the boardwalk at the marshland and saw so many native birds and also saw deer. We were supplied with very good binoculars which made it easy to spot the animals. We saw a lot of tancho cranes as well. Mark is knowledgeable and shared a lot of information on the native flora and fauna. We decided to come here ahead of a ski trip in Hokkaido, definitely worth the extra travel time. Would join the trip to Shiretoko trip next time.
Mak is The Bomb
forrests2025,
Feb 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mak was an EXCELLENT guide. Super personable and very informative. He taught us a lot about the local area, the wildlife and cranes! Highly recommend Mak!
Definitely recommend
chrissP8228EY,
Jan 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Yuki was super nice and spoke really good English. She explained lots of things to us and even stopped so we could make pictures when we encountered wild life.
From ¥15,500
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Operated by Picchio Shiretoko