First time Birdwatching at Kasai Rinkai Park
I went to Kasai Rinkai Park with high hopes for spotting some new feathered friends. Ideally, they would be something better than the brown-eared bulbuls I’d photographed before. Lugging my gear, I made the long train journey. Would I snap ospreys or kestrels gliding over Tokyo Bay? Here’s what I discovered on my first birdwatching trip to one of the city’s most scenic parks.
The birdwatching websites I had read recommended the park. They excited me. It would be an opportunity to photograph the birds I wanted if they were correct. I’d get an osprey or kestrel with some luck.
On a Sunday afternoon, after I finished work, I got on the train. It was far though. The park is near Disneyland, in Edogawa Ward. That’s in Tokyo’s far east. My house was in the city’s far west! It was about 22 kilometers, as the crow flies (pardon the pun). That was more than an hour’s travel time for me. Still, it was good to see the beach.
The park isn’t only about birds. It has a Ferris Wheel and an aquarium. Many people picnic there in the warmer months. It’s family-oriented.
I enjoyed the views. The following were visible from the beach:
- Tokyo Gate Bridge
- city skyline
- huge ships and pleasure boats on the water.
- Disneyland and DisneySea
- Chiba Prefecture on the far side of the bay
With such a backdrop, Kasai Rinkai Park is great for bird photography. On the grounds is a bird-watching center (currently closed). Ducks fill the ponds.
The other option is the beach. No one swims there, but use it for activities such as flying kites and playing baseball. You’ll need to work around them if you go for birdwatching.
And this is where you’ll need to go if you don’t want to photograph the ducks in the ponds. There are two islands. The east one is a bird reserve, so you can’t use it. That’s a pity because from afar it looks interesting.
That leaves the west island. You can walk across a bridge to it. On my first visit, I found its east side to be the best. Some of the birds I photographed were:
- Eurasian Coots
- Great cormorants
- Great egrets
- Grey herons
- White-cheeked starlings
Where is Kasai Rinkai Park?
It is on the east side of Tokyo, near Disneyland.
The address is: 6-2 Rinkaicho, Edogawa City, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest train station:
Kasai-Rinkai Park on the Keiyo and Musashino Lines.
Opening hours
The park is open twenty-four hours a day, but the bridge to West Island closes at 5 PM.
Conclusion
Kasai Rinkai Park was great for my first time. I learned something, though. Birding blogs showed that goshawks, harriers, and kestrels visit it. They weren’t there. Why?
I skipped one fact when researching these birds. Many are seasonal. Of course, they won’t be there all year round. I’ll remember that next time.
One more thing. I’ll go straight to the beach next time. I like ducks, but I’d rather photograph bigger birds. The ponds don’t offer enough to hold my interest.
Anyway, I had a great time. The views were amazing. They add something to the photographs. I’ll go again for sure. Kasai Rinkai Park is a great Tokyo photo spot. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
For more birding articles, look at:
External related website:
- Kasai Rinkai Park (official website)