Setting Off

Flag of Hokkaido, Japan: Green for the forests,
Blue for the ocean and White for the snow.

We're heading to the northern island of Japan, Hokkaido, and exploring its northeast corner for two weeks. Our tour is with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours and is called Birding and Culture, so it should be very interesting, especially as we have never been to Japan before. 

Mark Brazil, our leader, is the author of "Birds of Japan", and along with his wife, Mayumi, who was born and educated on Hokkaido, they will be showing us around their homeland.  We will be staying in hotels and small family inns, several with onsen, natural hot spring public baths  which I'm sure we will enjoy especially as the weather on Hokkaido tends to be overcast, cool, and drizzly.   Great food, scenery, and adventure awaits!