{"id":43697,"date":"2019-01-17T08:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-01-16T23:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=43697"},"modified":"2021-06-25T22:02:12","modified_gmt":"2021-06-25T13:02:12","slug":"kagoshima-izumi-cranes-watching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/kagoshima-izumi-cranes-watching\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beauty of Thousands of Cranes in Izumi, Kagoshima"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sponsored by Izumi City\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Legacy of Japanese Tsuru<\/h2>\n

In Japan, the crane<\/strong> (tsuru<\/em> in Japanese) is more than an animal, it is an important symbol in Japanese culture<\/strong>. Regularly used in Japanese tradition, it is a symbol of longevity and good fortune<\/strong>. It is often found in patterns on kimono<\/em>, washi<\/em> paper, and carved into decorations on temples, but especially in the form of origami<\/em>, paper folding. The belief holds that anyone who folds 1000 origami<\/em> cranes will see his wish fulfilled<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"Cranes<\/p>\n

In Izumi city in Kagoshima Prefecture, this migratory bird is a celebrity. It is found everywhere, as statues at the train station, in the main Shinto shrine, it is even the emblem of the city. And for good reason: it is in Izumi that the cranes congregate during the four winter months before starting their migration in early spring to Siberia. It is only in this small town in southwest Kyushu that we can admire the sheer numbers of this migratory bird<\/strong>. During a winter stay in Japan, it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to observe these beautiful birds.<\/p>\n

Observe the cranes at Izumi<\/h2>\n

Every fall, between 10,000 and 12,000 cranes from Siberia and China migrate south the city of Izumi.<\/strong> From mid-October to the end of March, it is possible to observe them from Izumi\u00a0City Crane\u00a0Observation Center<\/strong>. Since 1921, the site is classified as a “National Natural Treasure<\/strong>” by the Natural Treasure Conservation Act.<\/p>\n

Different Types of Cranes<\/h3>\n

In Izumi, 7 kinds of cranes can be observed:<\/p>\n