Japan 2022 Day 2

Day 2: Tokyo to Lake Akan

Travelled from Tokyo to Kushiro on Hokkaido. Some interesting signs and statues at both airports

Collected our luggage, boarded a bus and on our way to Lake Akun, we stopped at the Japanese Crane Reserve.

The red-crowned crane was designated a special natural monument of Japan in 1952 ( what a great year that was!). They had disappeared from view until 10 were discovered in Kushiro Marsh in east Hokkaido. This is the only place you will see them.

Some fun facts about red-crowned cranes ( great input for your next trivia night):

• how does the head of a red crowned crane change when it’s angry? The red part increases in size until the crane calms down and the red shrinks back into shape.
• what position do red crowned cranes sleep in? at night, they sleep on one leg so that they can escape from predator animals; during the day, they have a variety of positions
• why is the head of a red crowned crane red? ( oh dear, i forgot to get the answer….perhaps one of my travel companions help out….)

Reached the town of Akan which is a hot spring town and has a lot of the culture and history of Hokkaido’s indigenous people, the Ainu. Here’s a sense of how the town looks

After a buffet dinner, the girls went and explored what Satoko describes as the best onsen in Japan. No more to be said about that ….secret womens business.