Hokkaido Flying Squirrel Photography: Private Dawn & Dusk Tour

Capture flying squirrels gliding silently through Hokkaido's winter forest at first light.

A private wildlife photography tour in Hokkaido's coniferous forests near Obihiro where you photograph Ezo flying squirrels at dawn and dusk, the only hours they glide, with a professional guide providing real-time photography support in low light. Your guide, Koudai Araki, leads you to field-researched nesting sites. A 3–4-hour midday break lets you rest and review images between sessions, with daytime wildlife observation of owls, foxes, and long-tailed tits. Hotel pickup and drop-off, warm drinks, binoculars, and photography advice on light and camera settings are included. You bring your own camera and lens.

The experience

Obihiro's coniferous woodlands hold some of Japan's most elusive forest creatures: Ezo flying squirrels, nocturnal and barely larger than a human hand. This private tour is built around their schedule, not yours: you photograph them only at dawn and dusk, when they leave their nests to glide between trees. Your guide, a professional wildlife photographer based in Obihiro, has researched specific nesting sites through field work, so encounters are repeatable and ethical. You'll work in soft natural light during these narrow windows, learning how to shoot in low conditions while the guide offers real-time support on timing, framing, and camera settings.

Between the early and late sessions, you get a 3–4-hour midday break to rest, eat, and review your images on the camera. This is not a rushed loop. It is a rhythm built for patience and presence. During daylight hours, you'll observe seasonal wildlife (owls, foxes, long-tailed tits) moving through the same forest, so the day fills with quiet moments of watching rather than constant motion. Warm drinks are provided during the cold sessions, and binoculars let you spot animals before raising the camera.

Hotel pickup and drop-off near Obihiro means you do not arrange separate transport to the forest. Bring your own camera and telephoto lens. The guide will not provide equipment, but will help you use what you have. The tour runs over roughly one and a third days, with the schedule set around animal behavior, not clock time.

What’s included

• Private English or Japanese-speaking wildlife photography guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off near Obihiro.
• warm drinks during dawn and dusk sessions.
• binoculars for wildlife observation.
• 3–4-hour midday rest break.
• photography advice on light, timing, and camera settings.
• access to field-researched nesting sites in coniferous forest habitats and national parks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (17 to 80 years) · Youth (11 to 16 years) · Child (8 to 10 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 32 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteJP¥ 1,500

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Fieldscope.guideservice

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup near Obihiro means you do not need a car or arrange separate transport to the forest. The guide handles the route to the nesting sites. If you're staying elsewhere in the region, public transport can get you to the meeting point, though you'll coordinate that yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 16 years); Child (8 to 10 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time of day do the flying squirrels actually appear?

Ezo flying squirrels are nocturnal and only glide between trees at dawn and dusk. The tour is scheduled around these two windows (early morning before sunrise and evening after sunset) when you have the best chance to photograph them leaving their nests.

Do I need to bring my own camera and lens?

Yes, you bring your own camera equipment and telephoto lens. The guide provides photography advice on light, timing, and camera settings to help you capture the squirrels in low light, but does not supply gear.

What happens during the middle of the day?

You get a 3–4-hour midday break to rest, eat, and review the images you've captured. During daylight, you can also observe and photograph other seasonal wildlife like owls, foxes, and long-tailed tits in the same forest.

Is hotel pickup included, and does it work if I'm staying outside Obihiro?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included near Obihiro. If you're staying elsewhere in the region, public transportation options are available to reach the meeting point, though you would arrange that separately.

What should I know about the physical demands of this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll be standing quietly in the forest during dawn and dusk sessions, but the pace is slow and patient: built around watching and waiting rather than hiking or climbing.