Experience Sustainable Living, Exquisite Cuisine, and Incredible Natural Scenery in Northern Japan
A world away from the noise and neon of Tokyo, Hokkaido’s tranquil Tsurui Village in the eastern reaches of Japan’s northern island offers a traditional way of life—with an emphasis on existing in harmony with the natural world. Here, visitors can experience authentic farm stays, exquisite local cuisine with high-quality venison and dairy, and incredible canoe journeys through unspoiled nature. For those wanting to escape the stresses of modern life, this remote haven in northern Japan may well be the ideal place to go.
Real Hokkaido Hospitality at Heart’n Tree
Conveniently located less than an hour by car from Kushiro Airport and famed for its dairy farms, the tiny Tsurui Village has become a popular place for nohaku (countryside stays) in Japan, where visitors can experience authentic local life. One particularly charming establishment that accepts guests is Heart’n Tree, a small farm surrounded by picturesque rolling pastures. The owner, Sachiko Hattori, opened Heart’n Tree in 1999 to share the village’s traditional lifestyle and high-quality cuisine with guests. She and the other hosts at the establishment warmly greet their guests, welcoming them right into the heart of Tsurui’s local culture and
rural lifestyle.
A highlight of Heart’n Tree is its fantastic food. The on-site restaurant provides breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, with menus that change seasonally. Each meal consists of an exquisite course prepared using only the freshest ingredients—all locally sourced and free of chemical additives. Every single morsel is delightful, and the dishes beautifully presented. Included are delicious soups and salads seasoned with homegrown herbs, stews prepared using fresh local meats, a variety of freshly baked breads, and European-style desserts. Guests having allergies or other dietary restrictions need not worry, because the owners are incredibly flexible and can prepare meals to accommodate most dietary needs. The establishment’s restaurant radiates warmth and charm and is lovingly decorated with flowers and plants that hang from its rustic beams.
Hokkaido is famed across Japan for its high-quality dairy products, and Tsurui Village has a particularly long history of dairy farming. Heart’n Tree incorporates these products into many of the dishes on its menu. They even make their own cheese on-site. This especially creamy cheese pairs beautifully with the area’s local honey, which is rich and golden and has an incredibly complex flavor. This honey is also used in Heart’n Tree’s popular Whey Caramel, a deliciously sweet yet sour spread created by simmering down honey and whey.
The local milk is also used in their breads and desserts, creating an especially rich flavor. The milk itself is served as a drink at breakfast (as well as added to tea and coffee), and it is entirely unprocessed and free of additives. Cheese-making workshops are held on-site, as are cooking classes.
Guest rooms are brimming with rustic charm and elicit a feeling of nostalgia. They are simple, spacious, incredibly comfortable, and immaculately clean. A private cottage with its own bathroom, toilet, and kitchenette is also available. Guests will be greeted each morning by breathtaking views of rolling hills and seemingly endless pastures.
Often shrouded in early morning mist, Tsurui Village’s farmland radiates a powerful sense of tranquility. The hosts strive to convey the importance of maintaining a slower pace of life and savoring every single moment of it. With the area’s idyllic views, stunning nature, and flavorful food, it’s easy to see why they are so proud to call Tsurui home.
A Marshland Adventure with R’s Kushiro River Canoe Tour
No visit to Hokkaido would be complete without a journey through the region’s unparalleled natural beauty, and there’s no better way to take such a journey than by a canoe tour through Tsurui Village’s marshland.
Bordering the village is the expansive Kushiro Marsh, Japan’s largest wetland, which we are eager to explore. Our experienced guide, Hidekazu Ujihara of R’s Kushiro River Canoe Tour, has a wit and warmth that immediately makes us feel at ease. He demonstrates clearly how to row and maneuver the canoe and gives an informative safety briefing. Equipped with life jackets, canoes, and oars, we are ready for our adventure into the Kushiro wilderness.
Our journey takes us across Lake Toro and down the Kushiro River, which cuts deep into vast forests and marshlands. Tsurui Village with its incredibly well-preserved natural habitats, is a favorite of nature photographers and bird enthusiasts, many of whom come from all over the world to photograph the region’s rare bird species. Perhaps the best-known of these is Kushiro’s majestic tancho, or red-crowned crane.
Among Japan’s rarest birds and once thought to be extinct, the tancho, approximately 300 of them, has made the Tsurui-Ito Sanctuary its home. The birds can be spotted throughout the year but are present in particularly large numbers in winter.
On our tour, we were fortunate enough to catch sight of Yezo deer and the area’s famed majestic white-tailed eagles. The eagle has an impressive wingspan extending well beyond two meters, and it is a stunning sight when in flight. Our guide informed us that bears have been occasionally spotted in the undergrowth along the riverbanks. Tsurui Village feels like it is a world away from Tokyo, but the Kushiro Marsh feels like it is a world away from all civilization.
Entirely surrounded by nature and with no buildings or other people in sight, you can easily forget about the chaos and noise of everyday urban life. When it comes time to return to the shore and disembark, we find ourselves longing to stay in this tranquil natural environment.
- Facility Name
- R
- Address
- The meeting point will be determined at the time of booking.
Game Delicacies at WADA MASAHIRO ART SQUARE Café and Bar
Located in the center of Tsurui Village is the WADA MASAHIRO ART SQUARE Café and Bar, an unusual and charming establishment owned by chef and nature photographer Masahiro Wada. A Tsurui native, Wada takes great joy in sharing with visitors both the distinctive cuisine and natural scenery of the area. A particular highlight of his café is venison.
Hokkaido’s Ezo deer population has exploded over the years due to climate change and the extinction of their natural predator, the Ezo wolf. This has led to overpopulation and, unfortunately, a need to cull the population to match the local environment. However, the people of Tsurui Village strive to live in harmony with their natural environment, working with it rather than against it. As a result, the meat from the culled deer has become an important part of the local cuisine.
The café’s menu includes three venison dishes—a loin steak, a hamburger steak, and a meat gratin that perfectly marries the meat’s flavor with that of the area’s rich local cheese. As Wada prepares these dishes, guests become aware of just how special this meat really is. The venison lacks the overpowering smell often associated with game meat, and its flavor is distinct yet subtle. It’s easy on the palate and pairs extremely well with wines and sauces.
It’s also very lean and rich in iron, making it a great choice for health-conscious guests. It’s available throughout the year, except when hunting ceases in June. The meat is thought to be particularly delicious between September and December, when there is an abundance of the vegetation that the deer eat. Tsurui Village’s venison is of a particularly high quality, and it’s only cooked and eaten when fully matured to bring out all the flavor.
The restaurant also houses a gallery dedicated to Wada’s nature photography. Many of the images there are of the red-crowned cranes, perhaps Tsurui’s best-known and beloved local celebrities.
Wada’s photos capture not only the beauty and grace of these magnificent birds but also the region’s stunning and distinct scenery in each season—lush green landscapes in spring and summer, vibrant colored leaves in autumn, and haunting frozen vistas in winter.
Both Wada’s cooking and his photography are art forms deeply connected to Tsurui Village, and they open for visitors an exclusive and personal window onto life in the area.
- Facility Name
- WADA MASAHIRO ART SQUARE Café and Bar
- Address
- 1 Chome-5-1 Tsuruinishi, Tsurui, Akan District, Hokkaido 085-1203
How to Get to Tsurui
From Tokyo Haneda Airport, fly to Kushiro Airport (about 1hr 20min), and from there, take a car (about 45min).
From Hokkaido New Chitose Airport, fly to Kushiro Airport (about 45min), and from there, take a car (about 45min) .