Tsurui-Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary
鶴居・伊藤タンチョウサンクチュアリ
A crane sanctuary run by the Wild Bird Society of Japan. The winter feeding ground is a classic spot for photographers capturing the courtship dances of red-crowned cranes, and entry is free.
The Tsurui-Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary is operated by the Wild Bird Society of Japan. It grew out of the long-standing kindness of the local Ito family, who fed red-crowned cranes every winter. From November to March, large flocks of cranes fly in daily to forage. The courtship dances and wing-spreading duets on the snowy fields draw photographers from around the world, and long lenses line up outside the fence. The Nature Centre has volunteer guides. Entry is free, and it is open roughly 9:00 to 16:30. Outside winter it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The site is about 50 minutes’ drive from central Kushiro, and in winter a sightseeing bus also passes by.
Opening hours
09:00–16:30 (open daily October–March; otherwise closed Tue and Wed)
Nearby sights
- Otowa Bridge
- Tsurumidai
- Onnenai Boardwalk
- Kushiro Marsh Observatory
- Kushiro Wetland Sightseeing Trains
- Kushiro Wetland Hosooka Observatory
- Akan International Crane Center "Grus"
- Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve