Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido #3/5 - Kushiro
(This post is Part 3 of 5, Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido, August 2013.)
Another part of our summer trip in Hokkaido, we visited Kushiro, a town in southeast Hokkaido. Our main purpose for visiting Kushiro was to visit Kushiro marsh in the north of Kushiro.
Kushiro Wetlands National Park (釧路湿原国立公園) was designated a national park to preserve Japan's largest wetland marsh. The wetlands within the park itself were designated as a national natural monument. The wetlands is also home to the endangered red-crowned crane (丹頂鶴, tanchozuru) (Grus japonensis), the bird which is symbolic of Japan.
The marsh contains some lagoons (Lake Takkobu, Lake Toro and Lake Shirarutoro) and several ponds and bogs. Meandering through the park is Kushiro River, which originates from Lake Kusharo (all the way at Akan National Park).
Kushiro Wetlands is also home to 600 species of plants and is known for its wetlands ecosystem.
Kushiro is also home of the Japan's resident red-crowned crane population, the 丹頂鶴 (tanchozuru), which nests in wetlands and rivers. The red-crowned cranes resident here are non-migratory. And if I recall correctly, they are the only non-migratory red-crowned crane population in the world.
In East Asian cultures (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean), the crane is a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity (because they mate for life). The irony is the red-crowned crane is an endangered species.
At one time, they were thought to be extinct in Japan due to over-hunting, but some survivors were found in eastern Hokkaido. Conservation efforts have since increased their population to 1,000 birds in Japan. The problem that Japan is now facing with their conservation efforts is that there is not enough habitat space for these cranes and the breeding sites are apparently saturated.
Our day hiking around Kushiro Wetlands ended with a delicious robatayaki dinner at Robata Renga (炉ばた 煉瓦).
Robata Renga is a local favourite in Kushiro City, well known for seafood and charcoal-grill table barbecue. The scallops grilled in their shells was sweet and succulent...超美味い!
With our bellies full, Hinata, Hubby and I returned to base to rest up and recharge for the next leg of our Hokkaido travels.
Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido (August 2013)
- I. Shiretoko
- II. Akan National Park
- III. Kushiro
- IV. Furano & Biei
- V. Asahikawa, Otaru & Hokuryu
Another part of our summer trip in Hokkaido, we visited Kushiro, a town in southeast Hokkaido. Our main purpose for visiting Kushiro was to visit Kushiro marsh in the north of Kushiro.
 |
| Kushiro Wetlands National Park, view from the Kottaro Marsh observation platform |
Kushiro Wetlands National Park (釧路湿原国立公園) was designated a national park to preserve Japan's largest wetland marsh. The wetlands within the park itself were designated as a national natural monument. The wetlands is also home to the endangered red-crowned crane (丹頂鶴, tanchozuru) (Grus japonensis), the bird which is symbolic of Japan.
 |
| Kushiro Wetlands National Park, view from the Kottaro Marsh observation platform |
The marsh contains some lagoons (Lake Takkobu, Lake Toro and Lake Shirarutoro) and several ponds and bogs. Meandering through the park is Kushiro River, which originates from Lake Kusharo (all the way at Akan National Park).
 |
| Kushiro Wetlands National Park |
Kushiro Wetlands is also home to 600 species of plants and is known for its wetlands ecosystem.
Kushiro is also home of the Japan's resident red-crowned crane population, the 丹頂鶴 (tanchozuru), which nests in wetlands and rivers. The red-crowned cranes resident here are non-migratory. And if I recall correctly, they are the only non-migratory red-crowned crane population in the world.
 |
| Red-crowned crane (tanchōzuru) at the Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve. |
In East Asian cultures (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean), the crane is a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity (because they mate for life). The irony is the red-crowned crane is an endangered species.
At one time, they were thought to be extinct in Japan due to over-hunting, but some survivors were found in eastern Hokkaido. Conservation efforts have since increased their population to 1,000 birds in Japan. The problem that Japan is now facing with their conservation efforts is that there is not enough habitat space for these cranes and the breeding sites are apparently saturated.
 |
| Hokke, fresh scallops, king crab... Robatayaki dinner at Robata Renga, Kushiro City. |
Our day hiking around Kushiro Wetlands ended with a delicious robatayaki dinner at Robata Renga (炉ばた 煉瓦).
 |
| Robatayaki dinner at Robata Renga, Kushiro City. |
 |
| Robatayaki dinner at Robata Renga, Kushiro City. |
Robata Renga is a local favourite in Kushiro City, well known for seafood and charcoal-grill table barbecue. The scallops grilled in their shells was sweet and succulent...超美味い!
 |
| Off to bed Hinata! |
With our bellies full, Hinata, Hubby and I returned to base to rest up and recharge for the next leg of our Hokkaido travels.
Hinata's Summer in Hokkaido (August 2013)
- I. Shiretoko
- II. Akan National Park
- III. Kushiro
- IV. Furano & Biei
- V. Asahikawa, Otaru & Hokuryu
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