Best Time To Visit Japan (1 Viewer)

[ronjax]

I've actually visited Japan with my Japanese wife several times in the dim and distant past. Once bumped into Mark Brazil on Hokkaido.

I've been promised another visit this year and wonder whether to opt for spring/summer or autumn/winter. Hokkaido would be a definite destination but I'm open to suggestions as to going as well to eg Kyushu or even the Ryukus.

I'm a keen video-photographer with all that that entails in terms of humping gear around and limited opportunity for pure listing.

Probably only a dream but would be nice to nail Rubythroat and Steller's Eagle on same trip,


Cheers,

Ron

 

[Strandman]

Probably only a dream but would be nice to nail Rubythroat and Steller's Eagle on same trip,


Cheers,

Ron

Others more expert will doubtless chip-in but meantimes:

1. If you are going to Hokkaido in winter, best leave it until February or March, to maximise your chances of decent sea-ice off Rausu. See here for today's chart- it has still got long way to go this winter.
http://www1.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/KAN1/drift_ice/photo/photo_en.php

2. But if you are going to Kyushu in winter, don't leave it too late. The cranes start to move off by early March.

Hence a frequently chosen itinerary is Kyushu mid-to-late Feb, Hokkaido late Feb - early March.

3. If you are going to Hokkaido in spring-summer, best leave it until June, to maximise your chances of the wondrous Gray's Gropper (if you like that sort of thing). They arrive very late.