JAPAN an Introduction - Jan/Feb 2016
We used Sarus* birding tours to organise our first to Japan. They booked all the hotels, internal flights and Car Hire. We simply paid locally, included in the deal was information on birding sites and some helpful travel recommendations
We stayed in Tokyo Haneda on our first night and will stop off at the same hotel a few times so we can leave a bag behind and travel light. The hotel Toyoka Inn no.1 has a free bus to the airport and staff that speak a little English,* better than relying on Google translate app.
We were pretty tired after travelling via Dubai and just having 4 hours sleep in Haneda before getting to the airport early, 5.00 for early flight to Kumomoto on Kyushu island. We are spending three nights round here before going back to Haneda, then 3 nights round Karizuwa,* back to Tokyo then a week on Hoikkaido.
We picked the hire car at the airport without too much hassle, using google translate let us know that someone was on his way, and chap who spoke a little English picked us up, helped with the paperwork and showed us how to use the number part of sat nav, useful when getting to the hotel tonight when you know a number but not much good for GPS coordinates. After struggling with* directions we finally found Uki Mudflats I'll be glad when i can use googlemaps on the phone (eConnect Japan Sim) was delivered to hotel so can use mobile data without fear of bankruptcy. Anyway birding was good with Dusky Thrushes everywhere, plenty of Brown eared Bulbuls, the first male Daurian Redstart in the fields before on a track down to the river we found Japanese Bush Warbler,* Grey Bunting and Eastern Great Tit before arriving at the river, there were not many waders about but we did see 5 Black-faced Spoonbills, a Saunders Gull and single Falcated Duck amongst dozens of Shovelers, Teal, Shelduck and just a couple of Common Sandpipers, Greenshank and Lapwing. It was a case of heading down to the coast via Mimamoto Great Egret, Black-eared Kite and Blue Rock Thrush before going on to Arasaki* crane reserve.
Will try to post as we go, with photos to follow.
We used Sarus* birding tours to organise our first to Japan. They booked all the hotels, internal flights and Car Hire. We simply paid locally, included in the deal was information on birding sites and some helpful travel recommendations
We stayed in Tokyo Haneda on our first night and will stop off at the same hotel a few times so we can leave a bag behind and travel light. The hotel Toyoka Inn no.1 has a free bus to the airport and staff that speak a little English,* better than relying on Google translate app.
We were pretty tired after travelling via Dubai and just having 4 hours sleep in Haneda before getting to the airport early, 5.00 for early flight to Kumomoto on Kyushu island. We are spending three nights round here before going back to Haneda, then 3 nights round Karizuwa,* back to Tokyo then a week on Hoikkaido.
We picked the hire car at the airport without too much hassle, using google translate let us know that someone was on his way, and chap who spoke a little English picked us up, helped with the paperwork and showed us how to use the number part of sat nav, useful when getting to the hotel tonight when you know a number but not much good for GPS coordinates. After struggling with* directions we finally found Uki Mudflats I'll be glad when i can use googlemaps on the phone (eConnect Japan Sim) was delivered to hotel so can use mobile data without fear of bankruptcy. Anyway birding was good with Dusky Thrushes everywhere, plenty of Brown eared Bulbuls, the first male Daurian Redstart in the fields before on a track down to the river we found Japanese Bush Warbler,* Grey Bunting and Eastern Great Tit before arriving at the river, there were not many waders about but we did see 5 Black-faced Spoonbills, a Saunders Gull and single Falcated Duck amongst dozens of Shovelers, Teal, Shelduck and just a couple of Common Sandpipers, Greenshank and Lapwing. It was a case of heading down to the coast via Mimamoto Great Egret, Black-eared Kite and Blue Rock Thrush before going on to Arasaki* crane reserve.
Will try to post as we go, with photos to follow.