The World Birding Website

Asia - Japan

The Japanese archipelago lies at the eastern edge of Eurasia and includes a diverse range of habitats. Japan is a surprisingly mountainous and wooded land, with beautifully varied coastlines and heavily populated lowlands, where tiny rice fields dot the landscape amidst the rural dwellings. Winter birding here is one of Earth’s great birding spectacles, and three areas in particular are essential: the Hooded and White-naped crane sanctuaries of Kyushu in the far south, the Red-crowned Crane reserve in southern Hokkaido, and the wintering grounds of magnificent Steller’s Sea-Eagles on the ice fields around Lake Furen in the far north. Wintering wildfowl, thrushes, finches, and alcids, the challenge of the large Asian gull complex, the world’s largest owl - Blakiston’s Fish-Owl -and a useful sprinkling of endemics on the main islands add to a truly memorable visit. Text from Fieldguides, leading bird tour operators with more than 100 destinations woldwide, including Japan

Red-crowned Crane © Martin Tribe

Trip Reports Ryuku Islands, 27th April - 2nd May 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004) Japan, Tokyo, March 2000, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) Japan, February - March 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) Tobishima, Japan, May 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) Winter wonders of Japan, January 28th - February 9th 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) The cranes of Arasaki, Japan, February 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) Okinawa, Japan, 27th June - 4th July 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 18, 2004) Japan 2007: Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido - 18th February to 4th March 2007, author Ian Merrill (added May 9, 2007) (Japan in winter is a ‘must-do birding trip’ with Steller’s and White-tailed Eagles, Red-crowned Cranes and Blakiston’s Fish-Owls) Japan Jan 2008, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created March 9, 2011) Japan and Korea - February 2005, author Richard Klim (added March 17, 2005) Japan, West Coast, Sea of Japan, Tobishima Island - 1st to 4th May 2010, author Graham Ekins (added June 14, 2010) (Tobishima Island, Asian migrants, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Grey Bunting) Japan, January 30th to February 17th 2005, author Martin Tribe (added January 8, 2006) Japan: 24th February - 8th March 2008, author Mark Lopez (added January 6, 2010) (Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Okinawa) Showing the 13 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted BACK TO TRIP REPORTS HOME PAGE POST A TRIP REPORT EDIT YOUR TRIP REPORTS

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