hokkaido japan’s wild island May 19 - June 3, 2018 RUSSIA Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Korsakov Rebun Island Rishiri Island SHIRETOKO PENINSULA Teuri Island Abashiri HOKKAIDO Otaru Sapporo LAKE TOYA USU VOLCANO Muroran Kushiro Hakodate SEA OF JAPAN Akita Niigata PACIFIC OCEAN JAPAN Tokyo HONSHU Sunday, May 20, 2018 Narita, Japan We gathered from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, UK, and the USA at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Narita for our welcome reception and dinner in the company of our Zegrahm Expedition Leader, Michael (MiMo) Moore, and his enthusiastic team of expedition staff. The reception room was soon buzzing with conversation and anticipation of our exciting voyage—the first expedition cruise circumnavigating Hokkaido! Monday, May 21 Narita / Tokyo / Niigata / Embark Caledonian Sky On our way into Tokyo, Japan’s bustling capital, some of us glimpsed views of majestic and iconic Mt. Fuji; at 12,388 feet, the country’s tallest volcano, was peeping through the high-rise buildings. Much closer at hand, the Tokyo Skytree (2,080 ft), the tallest structure in the land, was more dominant. Visiting Senso-ji (the Asakusa Kannon Temple) and strolling the crowded alleys leading to it gave us our first insights into Japan’s Buddhist religious history, in the graceful charm of a temple that dates back to 645 AD, and the frenetic pace of her modern consumerist culture and her attraction to tourists from around the world. After lunch at the Tobu Hotel nearby, we boarded our impressive bullet train (Shinkansen Toki 344) bound for Niigata and hit speeds in excess of 125 mph as we rocketed across Japan’s main island of Honshu. Along the way the mountainous and forested nature of the country became obvious as did the way in which suburban sprawl encroaches upon the spread of agriculture in the narrow inhabitable valleys between the mountains. Freshly planted rice fields were vividly green, while winter wheat crops were already ripening to a tawny brown. Arriving in Niigata we were greeted by Hanano Komachi, a Niigata City Manga and Anime character, the first of many mascot figures that we were to meet during our travels. We then transferred to our staterooms aboard the Caledonian Sky and settled in with a safety drill and welcome briefings from our EL and our Cruise Director, Lynne Greig, before our first meal on board. Tuesday, May 22 At Sea After a calm night at sea we continued sailing northwards during the day, bound for Hokkaido. Today was an opportunity to relax, overcome jetlag, and settle in for the commencement of our lecture series. Ornithologist and author Mark Brazil began with his introductory overview of his adopted country in Japan a Land in Turmoil: The Geography of Japan. With the scene set, team member Amy Loewen continued with her presentation Language Matters: Japanese Demystified, followed by cultural geographer Ron Wixman who explored with us the all-important synthesis of Japanese Culture and Religion. After a break from education for an ice cream social, naturalist and photographer Rich Pagen gave the final presentation of the day with his entertainingFrom Cranes to Giant Salamanders: Wildlife and Humans Sharing Japan’s Ancient Landscape. This evening, Captain Håkan Gustafsson welcomed us formally to his vessel with a reception and welcome dinner. Wednesday, May 23 Otaru, Hokkaido / Sapporo Hokkaido! This morning we sailed into Otaru Harbor and made our first excursions ashore. Most of us headed into Sapporo, the island prefecture’s capital, where we visited the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, saw the historic Hokkaido government building and clock tower, visited Nijo Market, and enjoyed a typical Hokkaido barbecue known as “Genghis Khan” at the Sapporo Beer Garden before returning to explore the Otaru canal district known as Sakai Machi. Meanwhile, the birders were ashore in Otaru visiting Nagahashi Naebo Park and the Kiroro Ski Resort area where they found a range of resident and summer migrant species, along with several Eurasian red squirrels. We ended the day with our first recap of the voyage during which our staff talked about topics that had struck them during the day, or explored cultural aspects of Japan. Thursday, May 24 Teuri Island / Rishiri Island Before sunrise this morning we approached tiny Teuri Island and watched streams of rhinoceros auklets flying south from their colony. In another first, we were able to lower boats and take a pre-breakfast Zodiac cruise along the southwest coast of the island. There we found scores of pretty spectacled guillemots on the water, their red feet bright against their dark plumage. Occasional rhinoceros auklets were sighted too, along with pelagic and Temminck’s cormorants, and spotted seals. Overhead, screaming parties of Pacific swifts hurtled by in display, while from the island we could hear the delightful songs of recently arrived Siberian rubythroats. As we returned to the ship, we could see our next destination, Mt. Rishiri (also known as Rishiri Fuji), rising majestically from the ocean to the north. After breakfast, and as we sailed toward Rishiri, geologist John Buchanan introduced us to the turbulence that makes Japan tick in his presentation Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Oh My! After a barbecue on deck, we went ashore in the afternoon on Rishiri Island. In fine weather we visited the forested environs of Hime-numa (Pond) and the Nozuka viewpoint, while some also visited the local Rishiri Forest Park and Cape Kutsugata. Within walking distance of the harbor was another treat in the form of an onsen. After Mark’s precap yesterday of the significance of Japan’s ancient therapeutic bathing culture, this proved enormously popular, so we set off in a large group for our hot spring soak expedition to the Rishiri Fureai Onsen, and a delightfully relaxing time was had by all. Friday, May 25 Rebun Island / Wakkanai In contrast to the warmth and sunshine of the last few days, today dawned cool and cloudy. A hearty drizzle seemed keen on becoming rain and made our excursions a little more challenging. However, undeterred by the weather, we set off ashore by Zodiac to Kafuka Port and began exploring Rebun, Japan’s northernmost island, known as the “island of flowers.” Our excursion took in the Todo-shima viewpoint and the rather cold and bleak Cape Sukoton, described locally as the northernmost point of Japan; there, many of us tried famous dashi soup and kombu (kelp) ice cream in the souvenir shop. A highlight on Rebun was our walk to admire the spring blooms, in particular the rare and local Rebun lady’s slipper orchids, which were beautifully covered with water droplets. Meanwhile, the very same weather conditions proved ideal for birdwatching as many migrants were brought down and into view by the bad weather. So many birds were present that the birders hardly strayed from the southern shore of Lake Kushu, where they were stunned to find a yellow-rumped flycatcher and a Chinese pond heron, so rare that Mark had never seen either of them in Hokkaido before! Once back on board the Caledonian Sky, we sailed for Wakkanai to clear out of Japan. Along the way we continued our lecture series with cultural demonstrator Mayumi Brazil giving her presentation, and much photographed demonstration, Kimono: Japanese Clothing, Fashion, and Style. Saturday, May 26 Korsakov / Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin, Russia Overnight we left Japan and arrived in Russia! Landing at Korsakov this morning, our excursions took us northwards to Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk, the capital of the Sakhalin region. We visited the cathedral, a local market, a museum located in an historic Japanese-era building where we saw a newly married couple having their wedding pictures taken, and lunched at Mega, a trendy restaurant where we were entertained by a local Cossack troupe with energetic dances and lively songs. After a hearty lunch fuelled with vodka, many of us enjoyed a visit to a nearby supermarket to view local produce. Meanwhile, the birdwatchers enjoyed their visit to Solovyovka Bay and the forests nearby. As we cleared Russian immigration once more, and headed south down Aniva Bay bound for Abashiri in Japan, Ron delved into the past, revealing the regional and global implications of The Impact of the Russo-Japanese War, followed by Mark who gave a broad introduction to the island prefecture around which we were sailing in his presentation, Hokkaido: Japan’s Northern Natural Jewel. In between, Mayumi, and our local guide team, taught us the traditional art of origami as some participated and others watched during afternoon tea. Sunday, May 27 Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan Arriving back into Japan, we cleared immigration once more and soon set off on our day-long exploration of the Abashiri area and Akan-Mashu National Park. We stopped briefly at Shibazakura Park, overwhelmed by a whole hillside of Hello- Kitty-pink Phlox, then continued to the Mokotoyama viewpoint for our first view of the enormous Lake Kussharo caldera before visiting beautiful Lake Mashu, another spectacular caldera, and the belching sulphuroles billowing steam at Iwo-zan. Some visited the Sumo Museum dedicated to the late grand champion Taiho in Kawayu. After lunch there was time to revel in a hot spring foot-bath opportunity at an outdoor onsen at Wakoto, while others walked in the woods along the Wakoto Peninsula trail. Concluding a day of spectacular scenery and fascinating volcanology, we dropped by at Bihoro Pass to admire the broad vista of Lake Kussharo to the east and the plains towards the coast to the north. Meanwhile, the birders explored the shallow coastal lagoon known as Toufutsu-ko, and a woodland trail beside Lake Abashiri. Once back on board, we were all treated to some special entertainment.