Tsurui Village
Masahiro Wada

He is the 4th generation manager of the hotel which marked its 100th anniversary, and also performs as a professional photographer. The origin of his activity is tancho cranes (red-crowned cranes) that he met in his early childhood. The boy who was totally fascinated by them still keeps chasing tancho cranes even now that he has grown into an adult.

To attract visitors throughout the year.

Hotel TAITO is impressive building of red and green that imaged Northern Europe. “Many visitors are concentrated in winter, but March is an interesting time such as the battle against other cranes over territory because it's the young crane's leaving from the nest and mating period. And the cranes from fall to winter are also interesting. We are sowing seeds by making appeal to visitors so that they visit throughout the year.
Actually, Wada helped cranes twice. He has also helped chicks that fell out from its nest into the gutter. “The Grateful Crane? I have not been repaid anything yet, but I may already be repaid because I have continued the business for over 100 years in this place.” For those living in Tsurui-mura, the cranes are said to be “companion”, not birds. “I go to take pictures with feeling that I go to see my friend.”
Since this hotel is a popular accommodation among repeat guests and tourists who visited in winter will book reservations for next year, it is almost impossible to make a reservation after that year. They also provide a nature tour from the second half of April until October and Wada also serve as a guide.
“It's the tour that we take customers to the spot where cranes are seen surely by walking 5 kilometers one way in the Kushiro Wetland. Participants are ranging in age from 3 to 90 years old. After departing at 5 o'clock in the morning, drinking spring water and talking about the history of marshland, then we return to the inn at 9 o'clock after watching the cranes. The breakfast is served after taking the beauty's bath of hotel specialty”
Incidentally, the name of the hotel “TAITO” comes from “Taito” with the meaning of “Tenka-Taihei (peaceful and tranquil)”, but it also has the nuance of “wonderful” in Finnish by chance. There is an episode that Finnish people who just happened to visit was impressed and said “Taito! Taito!”
Nowadays, accommodations offering nature tours and experience-based activities are popular, but here is a pioneering entity. “From long ago, sometimes I took pictures with customers, but I felt a good response such as 'customers will be pleased if I provide this kind of things' at that time. “Even though it has the facilities same level as the city hotel, it's a small accommodation for people who love nature. That concept has not changed.”
And Takayoshi of his eldest son is preparing to develop “Cyclist friendly accommodation and tourism business utilizing Kushiro Wetland and others.” From the accumulation of data cultivated as a guide at the Kushiro Wetlands, he focuses on creating accommodations and courses that meet the needs of cyclists. Then, he got at an idea of a contemporary experience-based tourism model which minimized the environmental loads. Most of all, the combination of the cyclist who loves nature and the Kushiro Wetland has a great advantage.
Multiple course plan that can correspond every cyclist from beginners to veterans. The Installation of bike rack at resting places. Access from Kushiro Airport. And the accommodation where the checkingin with a bicycle is available. Over the last 100 years. And over the coming 100 years. The thoughtful challenge by the hotel tthat continues to be loved for generations continues.

Interviewed in January, 2018
Writer : Hideko Takahashi / Photographer : Hiroyuki Tamura