Meet Hokkaido's Friendly Chipmunks: A Closer Look at Ezo Wildlife

Have you ever met a chipmunk that’ll climb right onto your hand for a snack? Every spring, Hokkaido welcomes the return of the Ezo Chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus barberi) as they emerge from hibernation. It’s one of the joys of the season.

These charming chipmunks, a subspecies of the Siberian Chipmunk, are native mainly to Hokkaido. When they wake up from their winter sleep, food becomes a top priority. In certain mountain areas—often known as “power spots” and ideal for forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku)—they can be seen eagerly foraging for nuts and seeds.

Ezo Chipmunks measure about 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 inches) from nose to tail base, with tails adding another 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 inches). They weigh between 71–116 grams (2.5–4.1 ounces) and sport chestnut brown fur with five distinct dark stripes running down their backs.

They’re found not only on Hokkaido but also on nearby islands like Rebun, Rishiri, Teuri, Sakhalin, Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Yagashiri. Interestingly, a small cluster has been confirmed in Karuizawa on Honshu, likely the result of pet chipmunks being released into the wild during the 1960s and ’70s.

Ezo Chipmunks have a varied diet. In spring, they nibble on sasa (broad bamboo leaves) and Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) leaves. Later, they shift to seeds, pine nuts, cones, and especially Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) acorns. While mostly vegetarian, chipmunks raising young may also eat spiders, cicadas, snails, larvae, and even eggs of birds such as the Shima Enaga (Aegithalos caudatus japonicus), a Japanese subspecies of the Long-tailed Tit.

As summer arrives, they begin stockpiling food for the winter. They don’t fully hibernate—every couple of days, they wake to snack from their hidden stores before drifting off again.

Of course, Hokkaido offers so much more than chipmunks. Along the Pacific coast, you might spot Steller’s Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus), some of which stay behind in summer due to injuries or preference, especially around UNESCO’s Shiretoko National Park. These majestic raptors are Ice Age survivors, having endured through three glacial eras.

From summer into autumn, Hokkaido becomes a paradise for wildlife lovers. You may catch sight of Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis), White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Eastern Water Rails (Rallus indicus), Shima Enaga, and many other bird species. Offshore, whales such as the Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Spotted Seals (Phoca largha), sea otters (Enhydra lutris), and other marine creatures thrive. On land, look for Brown Bears (Ursus arctos yesoensis), Ezo Sika Deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), and the Hokkaido Fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki).

Hokkaido is truly a dream destination for nature lovers year-round.