Beyond the Cranes: Discovering the Green Season in Tsurui, Hokkaido

Located in the eastern part of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, the little village of Tsurui is just over an hour from the main hub of Kushiro and is flanked by the Kushiro Marsh. From October to March, visitors flock to the Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary to see the red-crowned cranes feed and dance across the snow.

But there’s also plenty to do in the area’s lush spring and summer seasons! Tsurui was selected as one of The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan and is a wonderful rural retreat for bikers, hikers, and lovers of good food.