Naganuma-cho is within an hour's drive from Sapporo City, making it an ideal place to visit on a road trip. In Naganuma Town, there is a spot where you can observe many wild birds. That is the Maizuru Water Recreation Area. Let's take a look at what kind of place it is!

The Maizuru Flood Control Area is a flood control facility built in the Maizuru district of Naganuma Town for flood control. It covers an area of about 200 hectares, which is quite large.

Photo courtesy of Sapporo Development and Construction Department, Hokkaido Development Bureau

In the photo above, can you see the trapezoid-shaped square in the middle of the field? That square is the Maizuru Water Recreation Area. Within the site, you can also see a watering hole favored by wild birds.

Since the construction of the Maizuru Water Park in 2015, a variety of birds can be seen again. For example, see .......

You will notice the elegance of the swans flying in formation and the cute and charming faces of the swans as they land on the water's edge.

Photo by Isao Takitsubo

Photo by Kiichiro Hirabayashi

The white-tailed sea eagle, circling the sky with ease, is truly a king of the air. The sight of these migratory birds all taking off at once is truly a spectacle! Seeing them in person is an unforgettable sight.

But where to look for such a spectacle in the vast Maizuru Reservoir? In such a case, let's first visit the "Bird Station Maioito" built on the site.

In the photo taken from above, it is located in the lower left corner of the trapezoid-shaped Maizuru Water Recreation Area. With parking space available, it is truly a base for bird-watching.

Once inside the hut, you will see many exhibits and learn about the types of birds that can be seen here and the efforts of Naganuma Town. In fact, Naganuma Town is working to create a town where red-crowned cranes can live, and it has been confirmed that red-crowned crane chicks were born for the first time in more than 100 years in the Maizuru Reservoir.

This year (2022), another red-crowned crane has been confirmed (by the way, the photo above left is a heron). When observing them, please do not get too close, but try to watch them from inside a building or car. Also, the types of birds that can be observed vary depending on the time of year.

We encourage you to enjoy and gently watch the seasonal activities of the birds.

<Cooperation for this report
Naganuma Town Policy Promotion Division
Location: 1-1-1 Chuo Kita, Naganuma-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido
Contact: 0123-76-8015
Official Website
Naganuma Town: https://www.maoi-net.jp/
Creating a town where cranes can live: https://www.facebook.com/NaganumaTancho
(Thumbnail provided by the Council for the Study of Creating a Town Where Japanese Crowned Cranes Can Live)