Experience the unknown under the sky full of wild birds and surrounded by their chirps!
You can enjoy this tour featuring the unparalleled bird watching experience at one of the world’s largest wintering grounds for migratory birds. A professional birding guide/photographer gives you guidance and leads you to the secret photo spots with a good chance to take buzz-worthy pictures. Get advised by the professional and find your fav bird from swans, geese, and other rare species. The bird calls and the sounds of their wings, named as one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan” by the MOE, are a must-listen. You will be amazed by their powerful chorus as it is so loud that you can’t hear the person next to you. The birdwatching is extraordinary in any aspect and unique to Izunuma and Uchinuma, the second Japanese site registered with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.
During the tour, you can fully appreciate the charms of the region through the interactions with local people, including observation of living creatures in the area centering Izunuma, environment conservation activities to protect the precious nature, cooking and tasting local foods using seafood and vegetables which you collect in fishing/farming programs, and folk performing arts.
Izunuma is a 369-hectare vast swamp that straddles Tome City and Kurihara City in Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region. Because Izunuma is an ice-free wetland and abundant with plants, animals, fish, and insects that feed migratory birds, it has been known as one of the largest migratory bird stopovers in the Tohoku region and attracting many bird watchers.
During the tour, you can fully appreciate the charms of the region through the interactions with local people, including observation of living creatures in the area centering Izunuma, environment conservation activities to protect the precious nature, cooking and tasting local foods using seafood and vegetables which you collect in fishing/farming programs, and folk performing arts.
Ramsar Convention: A treaty officially known as "Convention of International Importance especially as a Habitat for Waterfowl,” concluded in Ramsar, Iran in 1971.
This tour is a one-week (six-night, seven-day long) stay plan.
Please note that the following tour programs are tentative and subject to change without notice. For details, please contact the Tour Office:
Tour Office / Tome Food and Agriculture Experience Network Council
TEL: +81-220-28-2986
| Day 1 |
Check-in / Observation of migratory birds roosting / Welcome party |
|---|---|
| Day 2 |
Observation of migratory birds taking flight/Learning about Izunuma & Uchinuma/ Activity (choose one from options 1 and 2) / Observation of migratory birds roosting.
|
| Day 3 |
Observation of migratory birds taking flight/Free-time |
| Day 4 |
Observation of migratory birds taking flight/Activity （choose one from options 3 to 5）/ Activity （choose one from options 6 to 9）
|
| Day 5 |
Free-time |
| Day 6 |
Observation of migratory birds taking flight/ Activity （choose one from options 8 and 9 above）/ Farewell party (Dear Dance and Yagyu Shinkage-ryu martial art live performances) |
| Day 7 |
Check-out |
A mecca for bird watchers from all over the world
Observation of early morning “flight" and evening "roosting” are the main features of bird watching at Izunuma. The most notable thing about the birdwatching at Izunuma is the overwhelming number of wild birds. Izunuma is said to be the southern limit for winter visitors, and about 90% of the geese that come to Japan winter in the area. Birdwatchers from all over the world visit Izunuma to spot these birds.
The relatively narrow wetland area between the footpath and the water's edge allows the watchers to get closer to the birds. The unique experience of being flooded by birds rushing toward you from the surface of the swamp will be an unforgettable one.
This program includes guided tours to the selected bird-watching spots by a local bird-watchers association and a photography workshop by local expert photographers including Hiromi Kano*.
Hiromi Kano is a photographer from Tome City. As a part-time employee of the Tohoku Regional Environment Office, he conducts surveys of lakes and marshes, as well as birds and animals. He was the runner-up in the Nature category of the 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest and made his name known around the world.
Bird-hide tents (for one person) for observing birds without disturbing them are available for rent.
Photos of winter visitors shot by Hiromi Kano, a local photographer. The photo on the right won the second prize in the Nature category of a photo contest hosted by National Geographic in the U.S.
Lecture by a nature conservation specialist
In this study tour at the Miyagi Prefecture Izunuma-Uchinuma Sanctuary Center (Aviary), you can enjoy exhibits on the natural environment of Izunuma and Uchinuma and observe wild birds and plants from the view lounge. A specialist from the Miyagi Prefecture Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Conservation Foundation, the organization running the Center, will give a lecture about the origin of the swamp and the role it plays for the people.
Izunuma-Uchinuma Sanctuary Center (Aviary)
Specifics of environmental conservation activities and rules for bird watching
You can learn about the importance and details of environmental conservation activities and the rules for bird watchers from a specialist from Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Conservation Foundation.
Understanding the importance of environmental conservation through hands-on experience
Through first-hand experience including reed harvesting and cleanup in Izunuma area, visiting Izunuma/Uchinuma Aquatic Botanical Gardens, and fisherman experience, you can deeply understand the importance of environmental conservation activities and the relationships between Izunuma and the people in the vicinity.
Reed harvesting
Cleanup activity
Cook and taste a local dish under the guidance of local people
Hatto is a traditional local cuisine in the northern part of Miyagi prefecture. It is made by kneading wheat dough, stretching it by hand, and boil in a soup. You can cook Hatto and some pickles under the guidance of local people and eat it together to experience the regional food culture.
Hatto, a local cuisine
Cooking Hatto with the locals
Date pure red pork shabu-shabu
Mochi with a pestle
Learn about traditional martial arts and dance, dress up in traditional costume, and take buzz-worthy photos
Miyagi Prefecture (former Sendai domain) is home to Yagyu Shingan-ryu, a comprehensive martial art that originated in the Edo period, which is designated and preserved as an intangible cultural asset of the prefecture. Sanuma Deer Dance is another traditional performing art found in the region around Izunuma. The dancers wear Shishigashira that resemble deer heads, carry long bamboos called sasara on their backs, and beat drums while performing a heroic dance in which they sing and dance violently, imitating the movements of deer. You can receive guidance on these local performing arts, try on costumes, and have pictures taken.
Yagyu Shingan-ryu
Sanuma Deer Dance
Harvesting with farmers
The vast agricultural area around Izunuma is blessed with a climate suitable for farming and abundant with water from the swamp. You can visit the farms in the area and experience harvesting lotus root, Japanese parsley, shiitake mushrooms, and other crops.
Farming experience in a rural village
Handmade sausage made from Izunuma Pork, a local specialty
Izunuma Pork is raised slowly by designated local farmers and has rich flavor. You can make a sausage by stuffing the minced and kneaded meat into natural sheep casing. The sausage can be boiled and eaten fresh on the spot or taken home as a souvenir.
In addition, as an indoor program, you can craft straw and reed screen.
Handmade sausage using Izunuma Pork
Learn about the diverse ecosystems from Izunuma water system and experience fishing with local fishermen
At the Freshwater Aquarium, you can observe various plants and animals, mainly waterfowl, aquatic animals, and aquatic plants as well as view exhibits based on the theme of “water” in the ecosystem of Izunuma and Uchinuma. There is a large circular tank where you can observe living freshwater fish and shellfish from the swamp. You can also experience fishing in Izunuma.
Freshwater Aquarium at Izunuma/Uchinuma Sanctuary Center
Fisherman experience in Izunuma
Experience the region “as is” and interact with the locals
Fudo Footpath program allows you to walk through forests, countryside, townscapes, and nature observation facilities to see the region in its true colors and interact with the locals through food and conversations. You can find the charms of the region in a relaxed and leisurely manner while walking.
Walk around the region via Fudo Footpath
Cycle in pursuit of wild birds in a Ramsar wetland
Enjoy the unparalleled bird-watching cycling experience around the Ramsar-listed Izunuma area. Visit the diverse views of Izunuma Hakkei* and capture the very special scenery in your heart.
Sleep in nature, wake up with the chirping of birds, and enjoy farm-style barbeque prepared with local specialties
On this tour, you will stay in either a glamping tent, a rental cottage, or at a local accommodation facility. With the fresh lakeside air and the chirping of migratory birds, you can fully enjoy nature through the lodging experience itself. As for meals, you can enjoy farm-style barbeque prepared with local specialties, such as Izunuma pork and local vegetables.
Glamping tent
Farm BBQ scene
Izunuma pork barbeque