Saiyu Travel Japan

05/05/2026

28/04/2026

The seabird season has arrived on Teuri Island, Hokkaido! Every day, the Rhinoceros Auklets are putting on a lively show for the visitors.

By the way, have you heard of Teuri Island, floating in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Hokkaido? While the island has a small population of only 250 people, it is a sanctuary where one million seabirds come to breed every year.
In particular, it is home to approximately 800,000 Rhinoceros Auklets—the largest colony in the world.

At night, you have the incredible chance to see them up close as they return to their nests!

19/04/2026

New Release:
Japan Winter Wildlife Photography Tour: �Nagano Snow Monkeys & Hokkaido�with Paul Whitton

📅Jan 20th till Jan 28th, 2027 (8Nights 9Days)
Small group tour limited up to 6 participants

We are thrilled to announce our 9-day “Winter Wildlife Photography Expedition” guided by Paul Whitton. This tour combines the iconic Snow Monkeys of Nagano with the wildlife of Eastern Hokkaido in winter.

Scheduled for late January, this tour allows you to capture Japan’s majestic wildlife away from the February peak-season crowds. Enjoy more space, better perspectives, and a more intimate photography experience.

Highlights species
•Red-crowned crane
•Stellar’s sea eagle
•White-tailed sea eagle
•Blakiston’s fish owl
•Red fox
•Ezo sika deer
•Whooper swan
•Long-tailed tit

and many more….

Check our profile link for more info!

18/04/2026

24 hours by boat to a hidden paradise.
The Ogasawara Islands, located 1,000km south of Tokyo. Untouched nature and the breathtaking “Bonin Blue” ocean.

With summer starting in June, it’s the perfect season to swim with wild dolphins in the deep blue. 🐬
A journey to the “Galapagos of the Orient” is an experience like no other.

photo by .kagawa

11/04/2026

Experience the breathtaking landscapes of a trekking tour through Mt. Shirouma, Mt. Yukikura, and Mt. Asahi in the Northern Japanese Alps during the peak of the summer season.

Starting from the Shirouma Daisekkei, one of Japan’s three largest snowy valleys, you will make your way toward the summit of Mt. Shirouma. After completing the challenging yet exhilarating climb across the snow, you are greeted by vibrant fields of alpine wildflowers. This traverse route, which offers continuous encounters with flower gardens and lingering snow patches along the ridgeline, allows you to walk along the borders of three prefectures, offering an atmosphere reminiscent of a "Japanese version of the Tour du Mont Blanc."

07/04/2026

What everyone hopes to see in eastern Hokkaido during winter is the red-crowned cranes amidst the snowy landscape. It is a beautiful moment, where the calls of the cranes echo through the air as large snowflakes fall silently.

03/04/2026

A Eezo sika deer with magnificent antlers, encountered in Eastern Hokkaido during summer.
A true king of the northern wilderness. I’ll never forget the breathtaking moment our eyes met in the stillness.

Summer in Eastern Hokkaido is just as spectacular as the winter!

31/03/2026

We lost our heart to a fox cub we met in Eastern Hokkaido. Its cute gaze and piercing eyes were truly unforgettable.

After a long and brutal winter, spring is finally creeping back into Hokkaido. With cherry blossoms blooming from late April to early May—about a month later than mainland Japan—the spring here feels incredibly vibrant because we’ve waited so long for it.

The fresh buds of May turn into a landscape of deep, powerful green by June. I’m so looking forward to the coming summer.

26/03/2026

In the stillness of a midwinter dawn, the Red crowned cranes awaken with the first light of day. A gentle glow illuminates the frost-covered branches, while ethereal mist dances over the water as the temperature shifts. It is a moment of sublime beauty, a hidden gem found only in the heart of winter.

The Red-crowned Crane was once thought to be extinct in the early 20th century. However, according to a recent announcement by the Ministry of the Environment, its status has been downgraded from "Endangered" to "Near Threatened." 102 years after its rediscovery in 1924, the species has finally escaped the brink of extinction!

22/03/2026

The Higashiyama area of Kyoto still vividly retains the atmosphere of the ancient capital. Kyoto became the capital in 794, moving from Nara, and flourished as Japan’s capital for over a thousand years until Tokyo became the capital in 1868 following the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

To truly enjoy the quiet passage of time in Kyoto, it is well worth the effort to wake up early and head out. We highly recommend visiting before the city becomes crowded with tourists.

While Tokyo currently functions as the de facto capital of Japan—serving as the center of politics and economy—there is actually no current law that explicitly defines Tokyo as the sole legal capital.

With the Kyoto Imperial Palace (the former residence of His Majesty the Emperor) remaining in the city and the recent relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Kyoto continues to hold a special status as the “thousand-year capital,” serving as Japan’s historical and cultural heart.