PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-888-721-3555
 or 302/529-1876

 

  
Focus On Nature Tours
in Japan
in 2016 and 2017

For Birds, Butterflies, Mammals,
Wildflowers, and Other Nature




 

There have been Focus On Nature Tours in Japan for  
more than 20 years, with over 20 of our birding and 
nature tours there having been in the fall and winter.
But there have also been over a dozen very fine FONT 
Japan Tours during the spring and summer. 

In 2016 and 2017, FONT plans to do again its annual 
Winter Birding & Nature Tour on the Japanese islands of 
Honshu, Hokkaido, & Kyushu, including, as in the past, 
a day of pelagic birding onboard a ferry, but the tour
will be in February, instead of January. 
Highlights, as in the past, will still to be the cranes, 
sea eagles, and fish owl.
Following our Japan Winter Tours, there will be an
optional extension on the southern Japanese island 
of Amami, particularly for the endemic & specialty birds 
that occur there. 

In the spring of 2017, we plan to do a special tour 
including the subtropical Ogasawara Islands 
 (as they are called in Japanese). 
Their English name: the Bonin Islands.
Some of the birds of those islands are now extinct,
but there are still interesting ones to see, including
the Bonin Honeycreeper, endemic to one of the islands,
the one on which we'll stay.
And the seabirding should be extraordinary 
during the pelagic trips onboard large ferries 
to and from the islands, passing near Torishima,
the island with the Short-tailed Albatross.

There is, as of now, availability on upcoming FONT 
Birding and Nature Tours in Japan scheduled 
in 2016 and 2017 (in January/February and 
in May and October/November).  
       
Itineraries and other information regarding the tours follow.




Above: 
Lesser Sand Plover

Below:
Red-crowned Cranes


Highlights from some previous Japan Birding & Nature Tours 

FONT has conducted the most Japan birding & nature tours - 37 - during nearly 25 years. 
During the spring tours, and those on the southern islands (Nansei Shoto), the leader will have sound recordings of all the birds, that could be used as needed. 

Itineraries in 2016 and 2017  (click on the underlined tour numbers/dates for more info):

Prices are found at the end of each itinerary. All tours, unless noted otherwise, are rated "easy to moderate".

Winter
(Tour JA-1a)
Jan 21 - Feb 2 '16

In CENTRAL,
NORTHERN &
SOUTHERN JAPAN 
on Honshu, Hokkaido, 
and Kyushu

for cranes,
eagles,
& more
(Tour JA-1a&b)
(Jan 21 - Feb 6)

 Honshu, Hokkaido,
Kyushu, Amami

for endemics
& specialties

 

 

Spring
(Tour JA-2)
May 12-29, '16

   
In CENTRAL &
SOUTHERN JAPAN
on Honshu, Kyushu,
the Ryukyu islands
including Okinawa,
and the islands
of Amami
and Hegura

 The last of these,
Hegura Island,
is a magnet for
migrating birds

 Throughout the tour,
butterflies

Fall
(Tour JA-3)
Oct xx -
Nov x '16

In CENTRAL &
NORTHERN JAPAN 
on Honshu, 
and Hokkaido

for birds, 
such as 
cranes, eagles,
a big & rare owl,
& more
 and mammals,
such as
macaques
and at the
prime time
for brilliant
fall foliage
in the
mountains 

 
Winter
(Tour JA-1a)
Jan 19-31, '17

in CENTRAL,
NORTHERN &
SOUTHERN JAPAN 
on Honshu, Hokkaido,
Kyushu

for cranes,
eagles,
& more
(Tour JA-1a&b)
(Jan 19 - Feb 4)

 Honshu, Hokkaido,
Kyushu, Amami

for endemics
& specialties

 

 Spring
(Tour JA-2)
May 11-25, '17

   
in CENTRAL &
SOUTHERN JAPAN
on Honshu, Kyushu, 
& the 
Ogasawara
(or Bonin) Islands


for specialty & 
endemic birds,
such as the 
Bonin Honeyeater,
and those
of the sea
including
albatrosses
and more
Fall
(Tour JA-3)
Oct xx -
Nov x, '17
In CENTRAL &
NORTHERN JAPAN 
on Honshu, 
and Hokkaido

for birds, 
such as 
cranes, eagles,
a big & rare owl,
& more
 and mammals,
such as
macaques
and at the
prime time
for brilliant
fall foliage
in the
mountains 

 


Previous Japan
Tour Highlights

*********


A LIST OF 
JAPAN BIRDS
in 2 parts,
with some
photos 
(with in all
632 species)

Part #1
Pheasants
to Pittas
Part #2
Minivets to
Buntings

 

REGIONAL
JAPAN
BIRD-LISTS
(without
photos)
Hokkaido
Honshu

Hegura Island
(Spring Tours)

Amami Island
Okinawa
*********

Throughout
Japan, Birds
during 
FONT Spring
& Summer Tours
Throughout
Japan, Birds
during 
FONT Fall 
& Winter
Tours 

NARRATIVES relating to 
our previous Japan Tours:

 A Tour with
Blakiston's Fish Owl, 
Eagles, Cranes,
Mandarins, & More
(in Jan 2008)
A Spring Tour on 
5 Islands: 
Honshu, Kyushu,
Okinawa,
Amami, 
and Hegura, 
a little island 
that's a big magnet
 for birds
(in May 2007)


A PHOTO GALLERY:

Photographs
of Japanese
Culture & Scenery
(during a
FONT tour)
Rare Birds
of Japan

Cranes
of Japan

Shorebirds
of Japan

Butterflies
of Japan 

 

Wildflowers
of Hokkaido

Mammals
of Japan

 

 

Mountains on Honshu: Fuji (above left) & Asama (above right).
By Mt. Asama, we see many birds during our spring tours.



 Two small birds in Japan: the Little Grebe (above) in breeding plumage
and Common Kingfisher (below) both photographed during FONT tours in Japan.




 In the city of Tokyo, there are no House Sparrows. 
Rather, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow  is common. 


  

   

The Hokkaido coast in winter, with Steller's Sea-Eagles.

   

The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, where a bird we see in winter
is the Red-flanked Bluetail (below).