Destination: Japan Duration: 16 Nights, 17 Days Guide: Jun Matsui
The islands of Japan lie at the eastern edge of Eurasia and cover a diverse range of habitats, from the sub-tropical Ryukyu Islands to the almost Siberian taiga-like wilds of Hokkaido. Japan is a surprisingly mountainous and wooded land, with beautiful varied coastlines and very heavily populated lowlands, where tiny rice fields dot the landscape amidst the rural dwellings. During spring Japan is visited by huge numbers of palaearctic migrants which add their songs to those of the resident avifauna. Although the huge winter flocks of cranes and sea eagles have dispersed for breeding it is still possible to see individual and small groups of these spectacular birds and spring is a great time for alcids particularly on Hokkaido.