Hokkaido
Sea ice, volcanic marshes and wintering cranes
Mammal · Japanese macaque
Wild at
every latitude
Japan stretches from drifting sea ice to subtropical forest. Meet the animals shaped by its mountains, islands and changing seasons.
Explore the wildlifePhoto: Boris Guyon-Pelfrene · Unsplash
1,362 species across Japan's mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians
01 · 生き物
Explore by group
From endemics found nowhere else to seasonal visitors crossing the Pacific.
Field guide ·
Mammals
Birds, reptiles and amphibians use Japan's 2026 Fifth Red List; mammals use the 2020 national list. Species absent from those lists are shown without a category.
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02 · 場所
A country of many wilds
Four starting points for seeing Japan beyond its cities.
North
Japanese Alps
Snow-country forests and high mountain ridges
Yakushima
Rain-soaked cedar forest and island endemics
Iriomote
Mangroves, coral seas and subtropical forest
03 · 季節
Follow the season
Wildlife encounters in Japan change sharply through the year. Winter gathers eagles and cranes in the north; spring brings migration; summer opens the alpine zone; autumn turns forest foraging frantic.
Look for red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Steller's sea eagles at Rausu and macaques in the snowy mountains.
Field etiquette
Watch quietly.
Leave no trace.
Give wildlife space, stay on marked paths, never feed animals and follow local guidance. The best encounter is one that does not change an animal's behaviour.