The Art of Zen Birding
There is no better place to practice the art of being in the moment with birds than in Japan — the spiritual home of the art of zen birding
Of Japan’s 47 prefectures, three — Ibaraki, Tochigi and Fukushima — clustering to the northeast of the country’s capital, offer the Diamond Route. First timers to Japan are typically tempted to explore the famed and now crowded Golden Route stretching between Tokyo and Kyoto. Birdwatchers are of course different, unlike tourists they are tempted more by the delights of the countryside than those of the urban landscape and they are likely to travel to far flung destinations even little-known to locals in search of avian delights such as the diminutive Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, the subtle Japanese Leaf Warbler, the bullish Japanese Grosbeak, or the rare and restricted Japanese Yellow Bunting.
In only one sense do I liken Japan to India and that is wherever you go, whatever you do, even when birding, you are exposed to incidental culture. In the case of Japan that includes therapeutic hot springs, relaxing futon, delicious kaiseki dining, ubiquitous vending machines (all well-stocked and working dispensing hot and cold drinks 24/7), Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each day brings surprises. From a birding perspective, in winter much is familiar – the waterfowl, the raptors – with many species the same as in western Europe, with some notable exceptions. Visit in summer and it is a different world entirely, populated with delightful local warblers, demonstrative cuckoos and very snazzy flycatchers.
Forty years ago, Japan was far from the beaten birding track, now it is wellknown. The key locations from Okinawa to Hokkaidõ draw birders and photographers from around the world seeking images of dramatic eagles, dancing cranes, rocking rails and displaying swans. But what if you wish to avoid those crowds and experience the quieter side of birding and the quieter side of Japan. Where do you go for a dose of peace, plentiful politeness, and a pinch of tranquility – with birds?
The Diamond Route offers an opportunity to escape and de-stress with birds after business in the capital. To enjoy ‘forest bathing’ (a Japanese therapy concept) amidst unfamiliar summer bird song emanating from Japanese Thrushes and Japanese Bush Warblers; to explore humility among the natural beauty of stunning national parks such as Oze and Bandai-Asahi and mindful meditation on the mysteries of warbler migration or the gorgeous plumes of the likes of the Falcated Duck.
The Diamond Route offers birding in part of Japan in the 21st century that retains the feel of birding as it was here in the 1980s. Japan has no national or regional hotlines; its birders are generally shy and retiring; finding your own birds and enjoying them for what they are – feathered miracles – is the order of the day.
The understated self-restraint of
Zen meditation on the nature of mind and the nature of things de- emphasises knowledge in favour of direct understanding. Being in the moment with birds is a meditation in itself.
Avoid the birding crowds while pursuing the art of zen birding in a tranquil Japanese setting.
● More information: https://diamondroutejapan.com/ adventures/ birdwatching/index.html