暑い日々が過ぎて、夕暮れにひんやりとした風が吹く8月下旬。フライフィッシングのシーズンが終わりつつあることに少しの寂しさを感じると同時に思い出すのが、真っ白な冬に生きる北海道の野生動物たち。夏や春と違い、雪があって寒いからこそ飢えながらもギリギリで命を繋ぐ生き物が際立ち、その姿に感動させられます。
人口2200人の過疎地に暮らしていると、真冬の夜の特に吹雪の日の一抹も生命を感じさせない寒々しく荒涼とした景色にはグッと胸が締め付けられることもあります・・・そんな時には近所に住むエゾモモンガのことを考えるのです。
明るい時間は、小さな樹洞の奥で、わずかに寄せ集めた乾いた草や苔でベッドを作り、身を寄せ合って眠るエゾモモンガたち。
獲物の匂いを嗅ぎつけて巣穴の近くを歩き回るキタキツネの足音が聞こえた時、ピクッと後ろ脚を震わせて耳だけ立ててモゾモゾと寝返りをうっている？それとも少しも気にしないで深く眠っている？
眠っている姿がとても似合う生き物なのに、眠っている姿を見せてくれない生き物。人の世界と真逆を生きる、夜行性。
彼らを観察できる機会は人の生活と交差する、早朝と夕暮れの一瞬で2回のみ。
日の入り後の10分、モゾモゾと起き出して巣穴から顔を覗かせ、辺りを伺い食事タイム。みるみるうちに暗くなっていく空に焦りつつ、1匹また1匹と次々と巣穴から出てくるモモンガを撮影しながら、光の加減や動き、表情、仕草など、もしかしたら訪れるかもしれない更に特別な瞬間を願って観察します。
As the sweltering days fade and a cool breeze drifts in at dusk in late August, I begin to feel a quiet melancholy knowing that the fly-fishing season is drawing to a close. At the same time, my thoughts turn to the wild animals of Hokkaido who live through the pure white winter. Unlike spring or summer, it is in the snow and bitter cold that life on the edge truly stands out—creatures surviving hunger and hardship, each one leaving me deeply moved.
Living in a depopulated town of just 2,200 people, there are winter nights—especially when a blizzard sweeps through—when the barren, lifeless landscape tightens my chest with a sense of desolation. In those moments, I find myself thinking about the Siberian flying squirrels that live nearby.
During the daylight hours, they curl up deep inside a small tree cavity, resting on a bed of dry grass and moss they’ve gathered, pressed close together for warmth. When the footsteps of a red fox, drawn by the scent of prey, crunch in the snow near their nest, do they twitch their hind legs and roll over with just their ears alert? Or do they remain fast asleep, undisturbed and unaware?
They are creatures that seem made for sleep, yet never show us their sleeping form. Nocturnal by nature, they live in a world opposite to ours. The only chances we have to observe them come twice a day, when their lives briefly overlap with ours—at dawn and at dusk.
About ten minutes after sunset, they stir, poking their heads from the nest hole, scanning their surroundings before heading out for their nightly meal. As the sky darkens rapidly, one after another, squirrels emerge into the twilight. I watch and photograph them as they scurry out, hoping the fading light, their movements, their expressions, and their gestures might suddenly give way to a rare, extraordinary moment.
巣穴の近くや餌場を双眼鏡で注意深く覗いていると、モモンガが毎日乗る枝には傷がついていることがあり、それを見つけてニヤリとする。モモンガがそこに乗ってから気がつくか、乗る前に気がつくか・・・これが大きな違い。
どこで餌を取って、咥えながら滑空するか、その場で食べるのか。巣穴が西向きなので日没後も最後まで明るい巣穴だけど、気難しいモモンガがいるので初心者には難しいかなぁと思ったり、ガイド前のリサーチでは自分だけの時間だけど未来のゲストのためでもある。
「どうやってエゾモモンガを探すのですか？」よく聞かれますが、エゾモモンガを探すのはコツを掴めばとても簡単です。
彼らが生息していそうな森、適度な密度と針広混交林。ウンチやオシッコで樹皮についた茶色いシミや雪の上の落とし物。餌を食べた跡、餌を食べる音。エゾモモンガのいる景色をたくさん見ていると、これらをピンポイントで探すというより景色としてぼんやりと全体を眺めながら探すことができるようになります。1時間もあれば数個の巣穴を見つけることが出来るでしょう。
When peering carefully through binoculars near a nest or feeding spot, I sometimes notice scratches on the branches that the flying squirrels use every day. Spotting those marks always makes me grin. The real thrill is whether you notice them before a squirrel lands there—or only after. That difference changes everything.
Where do they gather food? Do they glide away with something clutched in their mouth, or nibble it right there? This particular nest faces west, so it stays bright even after sunset—but with a notoriously finicky squirrel living there, it can be a tricky spot for beginners. For me, these scouting sessions before guiding are private moments, yet they’re also an investment in the experience of future guests.
People often ask, “How do you find Siberian flying squirrels?” In truth, once you know the tricks, it’s surprisingly simple. You start with the right kind of forest—mixed conifers and broadleaf trees at just the right density. Then you look for signs: brown stains on the bark from droppings or urine, little pellets scattered on the snow, chewed bits of food, or even the faint sound of gnawing. After seeing enough of the landscapes where flying squirrels live, you learn not to fixate on individual clues but to let the whole scene speak to you. With just an hour of wandering, you can often discover several nest holes.
見つけた巣穴にエゾモモンガが本当にいるのか、何匹か、撮影出来る時間に出てくれるのか、滑空が撮影できるか・・・などなど、ここまで来るとまた別のお話で、これこそガイドの真骨頂。モモンガの個性が識別できるほどに通い詰めるガイドだからこそ分かることがたくさんあります。自分で探して見たけど、撮影になりませんというのはゲストからよく聞く話。一つの巣穴にご案内する前には何倍もの巣穴のリサーチを行っているので、よーく分かります。
Even after finding a nest hole, the real questions remain: Are there actually squirrels inside? How many? Will they emerge at a time when they can be photographed? Will there be a chance to capture them gliding? This is where the true value of guiding comes in.
A guide who visits these sites over and over—enough to recognize the quirks and personalities of individual squirrels—can read the situation in ways others simply can’t. Many guests tell me they tried searching on their own but couldn’t get the photos they hoped for. I understand that well—because before I take someone to a single nest, I’ve already researched and monitored many more behind the scenes.
日の出前の10分、太陽から逃げるようにエゾモモンガは巣穴に戻ります。それぞれ餌場にしていた木から滑空を繰り返し、途中で摘み食いをしながら。今度は少しずつ明るくなる空に、もうちょっと時間を掛けていいよ！とモモンガに願いながら撮影。滑空を狙いやすいのは早朝です。
お弁当を口に咥えて滑空し、巣穴の近くで食べてから巣穴に戻るモモンガがいるので、見落とさないように。低い位置でもぐもぐと食べてくれるので、とても撮影しやすく、それに夢中になってくれているので接近を許してくれます。
日の出の直前は一番冷える時間帯。凍てつく寒さと静けさが、モモンガの舞台。指を温めつつ、雪の上に寝転がって彼らを眺めているといつの間にか寒さも忘れるので大丈夫です。まぁいいか、とチャンスを逃すと、あの瞬間はもう無いかもしれなかったんだ・・・と後悔することになるので、面倒でも動き回って、レンズを交換して、撮り続けることをお勧めします。
About ten minutes before sunrise, the flying squirrels return to their nests, as if retreating from the sun itself. They glide back and forth from the trees where they’ve been feeding, pausing for little snacks along the way. As the sky slowly brightens, I find myself silently wishing, “Just a little longer, please!”—hoping for more time to photograph them. Early morning is the best time to capture their glides.
Some squirrels carry their “breakfast” in their mouths, glide back, and eat near the nest before finally slipping inside. Don’t overlook this moment—at low perches they munch away, making them easy to photograph. So absorbed in their meal, they even allow a closer approach.
The minutes just before sunrise are the coldest of all. In that frozen stillness, the flying squirrels take the stage. As I lie in the snow, warming my fingers and watching them, the biting cold soon fades from my mind. But here’s the truth: if you let yourself think “oh well, maybe next time” and miss the shot, that moment may never come again. That’s why, no matter how much effort it takes, I recommend moving around, swapping lenses, and shooting as much as you can.
北海道のエゾモモンガに出会う方法は、ガイドを利用して貰うと凄く簡単です。
ご年配の方でも、お子さまでも、カップルやご夫婦でも、特別な技術も不要で、とてつもなく可愛いエゾモモンガを観察することができます。深い雪の森を歩き回ることもなく、車から降りて数分で巣穴の前です。朝は少しの早起きが必要ですが、冬の北海道の夜明けを体験するとそれだけで特別な思い出になるでしょう。
エゾモモンガは年中見ることができますが、安定した確率で姿を見せてくれるのは10月〜3月。秋の紅葉が山から平野部まで降りてくると、葉っぱも落ちて見やすくなります。雪が降る前のモモンガもいいものです。
The easiest way to see Siberian flying squirrels in Hokkaido is to join a guided tour. With a guide, it becomes effortless—you don’t need any special skills. Seniors, children, couples, and families alike can all enjoy watching these irresistibly cute creatures. There’s no need to trek deep into snowy forests; just a short walk of a few minutes from the car will bring you right to a nest. Although it requires an early start in the morning, witnessing the winter sunrise in Hokkaido is itself an unforgettable experience.
Flying squirrels can be seen year-round, but the most reliable season is from October through March. As the autumn colors sweep down from the mountains to the plains, the trees shed their leaves, making the squirrels easier to spot. And watching them before the snow arrives has its own special charm.
昨年までのガイド料金から値上がりしてしまいましたが、今までのリピーターの方には割引があります。
すでに2月は埋まりつつありますので、ぜひご検討ください。
「精度」と「再現性」をモットーに、ゲストの技術やご希望に合わせてプランを組み立て、プライベートでご案内いたします。
早朝と夕暮れのエゾモモンガ、それ以外は何をするのか・・・？それはまた近日ブログやHPのガイドメニューを更新するのでお待ちください〜！では、冬に備えてカメラや双眼鏡を準備しましょう〜。もう少しだけお客様とフライフィッシングで楽しみます。
Although my guiding fees have increased compared to previous years, returning guests will still receive a discount. February is already filling up, so please consider booking soon.
With “accuracy” and “consistency” as my motto, I create a private plan tailored to each guest’s skills and wishes. Early mornings and evenings are all about flying squirrels—but what about the rest of the day? I’ll be updating the blog and guide menu on my website soon, so stay tuned!
For now, let’s get our cameras and binoculars ready for winter. I still have a little more time to enjoy fly fishing with my guests before the season ends.
