A Special Wildlife and Conservation Tour of Japan
Day to Day Itinerary - 16 days, 15 nights
2025 dates: April 17th to May 2nd
Meal Key: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Day 1: Tokyo Arrival - D
Meet at 6pm in the tour hotel in Tokyo for a short tour meeting before heading out for an izakaya dinner ((popular Japanese tapas style food) in a local restaurant. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 2: Tokyo - Amami - BD
Take a morning flight from Tokyo Haneda to Amami Oshima (1h55m). In the evening we can do a night herping drive, looking out for Amami rabbit, frogs and snakes. Overnight in Amami Oshima.
Target species: Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) EN, Okinawa habu (Protobothrops flavoviridis) LC, Ryukyu Island pit viper (Ovophis okinavensis) LC. Potential incidentals: Lidth's jay, Ryukyu scops owl, frogs.
Day 3: Amami Oshima- B
Free time in the morning to relax or perhaps snorkel and look for turtles. In the afternoon, we will go on a herping (reptile and amphibian) and forest walk. Take an additional night drive to search for Amami rabbit and snakes. Overnight in Amami Oshima.
Target species: Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) EN, Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) EN, Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) EN, Okinawa habu (Protobothrops flavoviridis) LC, Ryukyu Island pit viper (Ovophis okinavensis) LC. Potential incidentals: Lidth's jay, Ryukyu scops owl, frogs.
Day 4: Amami Oshima - B
Start the day with an early birding tour with local experts. After a break and some lunch, we can explore the Amami mangrove forest. In the evening we can do a further search for reptiles and amphibians. Overnight in Amami Oshima.
Target species: Lidth's jay (Garrulus lidthi) VU, Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) VU, Amami thrush (Zoothera major) NT, Ryuku ayu fish (Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis), EN. Potential incidentals: Barred mudskipper, mud crab, birds.
Day 5: Amami Oshima - Osaka - B
This morning we will have some time to relax before heading to the airport and taking a domestic flight to Osaka (90 mins). Enjoy some free time in the afternoon to relax or explore the “urban jungle”. Osaka is famous for it great street food and lively night scene. Option to join a street food tour during the evening with a local expert. Overnight in Osaka.
Today we will make our way back to Tokyo. We will have time for some local walking and bird watching in the morning before driving back to Memanbetsu Airport (2hrs) and taking a short flight back to Tokyo (2hrs). On arrival in Tokyo, we will transfer to the hotel before grabbing something local for dinner. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 6- Osaka - Yonago - BD
This morning we will travel by comfortable Highway Bus to Yonago (4hrs). On arrival and after checking-in to our hotel, we can take a walk to the ruins of Yonago Castle which overlooks a large brackish lake which is homes to various species of wildfowl. In the evening, join a Japanese giant salamander viewing tour. Overnight in Yonago.
Target species: Japanese giant salamander (Andrias Japonicus) VU.
Potential incidentals: Wild boar, snakes, frogs, fire belly newt.
Day 7 - Yonago - B
Walking/nature viewing in the Mt. Daisen area. Today we will have a chance to enter an ancient irrigation tunnel for a short distance in search of two species of bat. We will be joined in the afternoon by the world’s leading Japanese giant salamander expert where we will have a fascinating lecture and Q & A before heading into the field to conduct giant salamander surveys as part of the conservation efforts. Overnight in Yonago.
Target species: Japanese giant salamander (Andrias Japonicus) VU, Greater tube-nosed bat (Murina leucogaster), Japanese pipistrelle (Pipistrellus abramus)
Potential incidentals: Wild boar, snakes, frogs, fire belly newt, birds.
Day 8 - Yonago - B
A further day in the Yonago/Daisen area with a focus on a mixture of cultural and wildlife experiences. This will likely include a visit to a wetland bird centre, Japan’s number-one ranked garden and an original castle. Overnight in Yonago.
Target species: Eastern marsh harrier (Circus spilonotus) LC.
Potential incidentals: Various birds
Day 9 - Yonago - Tokyo - Karuizawa - B
This morning we will travel a short distance to Yonago Airport from where we will take a domestic flight (70 mins) to Tokyo Haneda Airport. From here will head to Tokyo Station to catch a shinkansen (bullet train!) to Karuizawa. This evening we will visit a local facility to join a Japanese giant flying squirrel viewing tour. Overnight in the Karuizawa area.
Target species: Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys) LC.
Potential incidentals: Sika deer, red fox.
Day 10 - Karuizawa - B
Today we will join an Asiatic Bear Viewing Tour with a leading researcher and conservationist and walk into an area known to have Asiatic black bear. We will head to a clearing from where, with a bit of luck, we can observe the bears. Overnight in the Karuizawa area.
Target species: Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) VU. Potential incidentals: Japanese serow, sika deer, red fox
Day 11 - Karuizawa - Tokyo - B
Today we will head out for another full day walking in the forest, looking for the Japanese serow, an endemic species of goat antelope. After the tour is concluded we will pick up a “bento box” dinner and head back to Tokyo by bullet train. Overnight in Tokyo.
Target species: Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) LC, Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys) LC.
Potential incidentals: Asiatic black bear, sika deer, red fox.
Day 12 - Tokyo - Utoro BD
An early start in order to catch a local train to Haneda Airport and a domestic flight north to Memanbetsu Airport (2hrs) After arrival, we will transfer by private car to Utoro. In the afternoon, if the sea conditions are right, we will take a boat cruise along the coast and look for Ussuri brown bears. Overnight in Utoro.
Target species: Ussuri brown bear (Ursus arctos lasiotus)
Potential incidentals: Sika deer, red fox, sea birds, sea mammals
Day 13: Utoro and Rausu
This morning we will drive to the town of Rausu on the opposite side of the Shiretoko Peninsula (90 mins). Here we will aim to take a morning and afternoon cruise in search of Orca and other sea mammals including whales and porpoise, depending on sea conditions. In the evening, we will visit a special facility to have a chance of viewing Blakiston's fish owl as they come in to feed. We will return to our hotel in Utoro late evening. Overnight in Utoro.
Target species: Orca (Orcinus orca) Data Deficient, Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) VU, Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) LC, Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni) EN
Potential incidentals: Sika deer, red fox, sea birds
Day 14: Utoro
If we didn’t have success in our efforts to see Ussuri brown bears on previous days (due to bad weather, rough seas etc), we will take further cruises and hope for better luck! If no further cruises are needed, we can drive down the coast a little for a walk on the Notsuke Peninsula where we can also visit a nature centre.
Target species: Ussuri brown bear (Ursus arctos lasiotus)
Potential incidentals: Sika deer, red fox, sea birds, sea mammals
Day 15: Utoro to Tokyo
After a relaxing morning, we will head to the airport and fly back to Tokyo (2hrs) and transfer to our hotel. Here we can have one last dinner together in a lively part of Tokyo. Overnight in Tokyo.
Day 16: Tour Ends - B
Tour ends after breakfast.