A major fishing port on the eastern side of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, Kushiro boasts vast marshlands that are home to an iconic – and endangered – national icon. Tall, slim and long-legged, the elegant tancho (Red-crowned Crane) is a fabled symbol of long life that was considered extinct until 1920, when a few dozen were discovered in the Kushiro Marsh. A national park since 1987, the marsh teems with a variety of plant and animal life and today provides sanctuary for over 1.700 cranes. Admire local artwork at Hokkaido Kushiro Art Museum before tasting freshly caught local cuisine at Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf.