Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

Join us for this amazing opportunity to explore Japan’s mountainous islands and unique culture. It has embraced modernity while maintaining its traditional culture that has focused on the arts and culinary endeavors. Sitting in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” that consists of four main islands with over 3,000 islets and over 100 volcanoes, it has exquisite natural landscapes ranging from subtropical to Siberian taiga-like wilds. As a result, Japan boasts 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has a bird list of over 700 species with 20 endemics. The tour has a chance for three of the endemics, while the pre0trip extension to the Ryukyu Islands has a chance for 11.  

Our tour will begin in Tokyo on the largest island, Honshu. Starting in the lowlands, we may see Eastern Marsh Harrier, the endangered Oriental Stork, and Bull-headed Shrike. Moving into the mountains below 6,000 feet that are blanketed with dense forests of oak, beech, and maple, could turn up Brown Dipper, Japanese Green Woodpecker (endemic), and Blue & White Flycatcher as well as Lesser Cuckoos, Copper and Green Pheasants (both endemic), and Spotted Nutcracker. We will visit the Nikko Toshogu, a World Heritage Site, which is a lavishly ornate Shinto complex that houses the shrine of the first shogun and the dazzling Sunset Gate.

We will end by traveling to Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, a highly volcanic landscape filled with crystal-blue caldera lakes and hot springs. The flora and fauna are more closely related to Sakhalin, a Russian island to the north, than the rest of Japan and includes White-tailed Eagle, the endangered Red-Crowned Crane, Siberian Rubythroat, and Long-tailed Rosefinch. A visit to an onsen, a traditional Japanese hot-spring resort, will give us a chance for the endangered Blakiston’s Fish-Owl, the world’s largest owl. We will spend a few days on the coast looking offshore on the Nemuro Peninsula that could give sightings of Stejneger’s Scoter, Spectacled Guillemot, and possibly Laysan Albatross or Ancient Murrelet. 

Their core values of duty, the pursuit of harmony, and respect for each other make Japan one of the safest places to live and visit. Please join us to explore this beautiful country!

Join us for the pre-trip extension to the Ryukyu Islands May 11-17, 2026!