Guides' Field Trip with Japan Nature Guides 2021

Some of the Adventure Hokkaido team recently spent a few days in the Akan–Mashu National Park with Dr Mark Brazil and his wife Mayumi of Japan Nature Guides.

Mt Mashu catches the last light of the day as it is reflected in a glassy Lake Mashu. Leafless birch trees frame the lake in the foreground.
A serene Lake Mashu

All in all it was a great trip and we got to discuss the future of adventure travel in Hokkaido, scout the newly developed Mashu Kussharo Trail, and learn more about the area's flora and fauna. It was so special spotting some local birds with the the person who literally wrote the book on birding in Japan! Photos courtesy of Mark & Mayumi Brazil


The field guide pictured in the gallery is one of a number of great resources produced by Japan Nature Guides. The books and guides are written by Mark and are a must-read for anyone wanting to learn more about Hokkaido's wildlife. They are available online or directly from the Japan Nature Guides team.

The covers of a number of the works of Dr Mark Brazil

From left to right: Wild Hokkaidō: A Guidebook to the National Parks and other Wild Places of Eastern Hokkaidō | The Nature of Japan: From Dancing Cranes to Flying Fish | A Pocket Guide to the Common and Iconic Mammals of Japan | A Pocket Guide to the Common and Iconic Birds of Japan

Want to explore the Akan–Mashu National Park?

Check out our Japan's Far East 9 Day Wildlife & Adventure Tour