Hokkaido May 2025 (1 Viewer)

[KHamblett]

Hokkaido Japan May 2025
Looking for assistance and recommendations for bird guides or local tour companies that can arrange guiding and/or logistics for solo traveler Hokkaido in May 2025.
I hope to visit Hokkaido May 12 for a week or so and would like to include birding (and lots of it) in my itinerary. I’m not comfortable driving a car there, as I drive on the right side at home.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

You may like to have a look at my trip report from last year:

Birding Japanese: Japan in summer June-July 2023

Might have an attempt at another on the go trip report. I'm currently in Japan and will be here for around a month, visiting many different areas of the country. It's actually my fourth visit (fifth if you count some birding on an overnight layover), but all my previous visits were in winter...

www.birdforum.net

Mid-May is potentially a little bit early for some species e.g. Locustella warblers, but they could be arriving. Takeyoshi at Lodge Furen is a good contact for arrangements in eastern Hokkaido. He could potentially guide you. His email is matsuo-t[at]plum.plala.or.jp
I would add that, although they drive on the left in Japan, I would say that Japan is the easiest and safest country to drive in that I've ever been to.

 

[kb57]

I would second Andrew's recommendation - I did a winter trip to Hokkaido in early 2018 and stayed at Lodge Furen a couple of nights. Although we didn't end up organising anything through Take-san except our stay there (a planned pelagic fell through due to inclement weather) a group of birders we met had used him to organise their entire trip around Hokkaido, taking care of booking accommodation.
As far as driving is concerned, I'd also agree with Andrew that Japan is one of the easiest and safest places to drive - also a lot of the signage and junctions are quite reminiscent of North America, with the addition of safety features I've never seen anywhere else (for example our rental car - a Subaru Impreza - gave warning bleeps as it sensed the approach of a stop sign..). I wouldn't worry too much about driving on the 'wrong' side of the road either, whichever side you may be used to - the fact the steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car is a pretty good clue to where you should be on the road.

 

[foresttwitcher]

I echo Andrew's & kb57's comments about Lodge Furen / Takeyoshi Matsuo and the ease of driving in Japan.

 

[Koji Tagi]

I am Koji from Tochigi, Japan. Your proposed dates are probably too early to tick all east Asian/Japanese endemics.

You would be able to see alclids, Red-crowned Crane, Latham's Snipe, White-tailed Eagle, Blakiston's Fish Owl, Narcissus and Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Japanese and Siberian Blue Robin, Brown-headed and Japanese Thrush, Long-tailed Rosefinch, and Masked and Chestnut-eared Bunting. However, you may miss cuckoos, Siberian Rubythroat, Black-browed Reed Warbler, 3 species of grasshopper warblers as they arrive late. I recommend you visiting there two weeks later if possible.

As everyone suggests, Matsuo san would be the best option. However, if he is engaged, ask Mark Brazil (Japan Nature Guides). He may be able to find someone else.

 

[James Lowther]

Main challenge in learning to drive on the “wrong” side of the road is using the manual gearstick with the “wrong” hand.

Most hire cars in Japan are automatic which will make it much easier

James

 

[KHamblett]

I am Koji from Tochigi, Japan. Your proposed dates are probably too early to tick all east Asian/Japanese endemics.

You would be able to see alclids, Red-crowned Crane, Latham's Snipe, White-tailed Eagle, Blakiston's Fish Owl, Narcissus and Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Japanese and Siberian Blue Robin, Brown-headed and Japanese Thrush, Long-tailed Rosefinch, and Masked and Chestnut-eared Bunting. However, you may miss cuckoos, Siberian Rubythroat, Black-browed Reed Warbler, 3 species of grasshopper warblers as they arrive late. I recommend you visiting there two weeks later if possible.

As everyone suggests, Matsuo san would be the best option. However, if he is engaged, ask Mark Brazil (Japan Nature Guides). He may be able to find someone else.

Thank you for this information. I'm on an organized Taiwan birding tour that ends May 10 and would like to visit Japan immediately after. I am more flexible with departure date. Thank you for contact info.

 

[KHamblett]

Thanks for the replies and information. I'm in the early phase of planning - and now have more questions.
My Japan arrival date is based on completing an organized Taiwan birding tour, and am more flexible with departure - can stay for weeks after.
Now I'm wondering if I should consider a stop in Okinawa in early May, then Hokkaido. Are the Okinawa birding spots accessible using public transport?

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Thanks for the replies and information. I'm in the early phase of planning - and now have more questions.
My Japan arrival date is based on completing an organized Taiwan birding tour, and am more flexible with departure - can stay for weeks after.
Now I'm wondering if I should consider a stop in Okinawa in early May, then Hokkaido. Are the Okinawa birding spots accessible using public transport?

The places for the endemic birds e.g. Okinawa Rail and the woodpecker are in the north end of the island i.e. the opposite end to the airport. You can probably get there by public transport (e.g. the village of Ada, which has the key birds) but it will take a long time. Everything will be a hundred times easier if you rent a car. Driving is easy and the roads are quiet. A car is also a good 'hide' which is helpful for seeing Okinawa Rail.

 

[Koji Tagi]

Thank you for this information. I'm on an organized Taiwan birding tour that ends May 10 and would like to visit Japan immediately after. I am more flexible with departure date. Thank you for contact info.

If your can stay longer, visiting central Honshu, such as Shiga Kogen Plateau (志賀高原ガイド【鳥のさえずり辞典】｜【公式】志賀高原でおいしい食事が堪能できる旅館｜ホテルタキモト) where you can see East Asian endemics such as Japanese Robin, Grey Bunting and Yellow Bunting,would be a good idea before going to Hokkaido.

Miyake-jima is another interesting option to see the endemic species likely Seven Island Thrush, Styan's Grasshopper Warbler and Owston's Tit.