Take a small icebreaker cruise on the ice flows of the Nemuro Strait to photograph the Steller’s sea eagles fishing for Pacific cod.
On a birdwatching trip to Hokkaido, priority should be given to tracking Steller’s sea eagles, which can be seen from the Nemuro Peninsula. On average, this is the largest eagle in the world weighing 5-9 kg and the birds are known for their distinctive yellow beaks.
In winter, Steller’s sea eagles along with white-tailed sea eagles search for abundant Pacific cod amid the ice that drifts from the Sea of Okhotsk into the Strait of Nemuro.
When to go: The ice usually flows in mid-January and the best time to see eagles is usually around the first two weeks of February.