Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park

March 13, 2013 by staff

Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park, Kushiro Shitsugen National Park in Hokkaido was established in 1987 as one of Japan’s newest designated national park. It was created in order to preserve the country’s largest wetland and marsh habitat which supports the only known population of endangered Japanese Cranes in Japan.

The park is located between Kushiro City and Akan National Park and is easily visited when traveling between the two. The park does not receive much snowfall, even in winter, and offers bird watching, nature viewing, and walking trails. Japanese Cranes can be viewed there year round and attract hundreds of photographers.

Japanese Cranes, also known as Tancho (lit. red head), were thought to be extinct in Japan due to overhunting and habitat destruction. However, in 1926 a group of about 20 birds was discovered in the marshes around Kushiro. With conservation efforts they have since made a dramatic recovery and now number more than 1000 birds.

The cranes are most spectacular to watch as they dance, often in pairs, with seemingly choreographed dips and jumps. The cranes are best seen in the winter as they gather at winter feeding sites. These sites are best accessed by car, but they can also be reached by public transportation.