I'd seen plenty of images of cranes before - on everything from postage stamps to elegant kimono. Never before had I seen a crane up close, but a recent visit to the city of Izumi in Kagoshima Prefecture changed all that. It is on the marshy plains outside this seaside town that nearly 10,000 hooded and white-naped cranes spend their winter months. They come down from the far reaches of Siberia and northern China to pass a few agreeable months foraging in Kyushu's rice paddies before making the long trip back to their breeding grounds. From Izumi's Crane Observation Center, you can get an incredible view of these elegant birds. Stand on the center's rooftop deck and be awed by the beauty of this symbol of Japan.
Mandy Bartok @mandy.bartok
Japan resident for 10 years, with time spent in Okinawa, Kumamoto and Tokyo.
