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Animal lovers, wanting to catch a glimpse of bears in their natural environment, may consider a holiday in Japan.

The country's tourist board is promoting its fantastic Bear Watching tours, which promote the conservation of bear habitats.

Inside Japan offers to take small groups of travellers to the country's mountains to witness bears going about their normal lives.

The chances of seeing a bear are so high in the designated regions that visitors are guaranteed a full refund if they fail to spot one during their trip.

As well as merely watching bears, the tours offer a wealth of information about bears and bear conservation, making the trips as much about learning as enjoyment.

Tours begin in the castle town of Matsumoto near Tokyo, before moving on up the mountains.

Once the trip has begun, accommodation, in the form of mountain lodges, will be provided and this will be used as a base between expeditions.

Expert guides are provided, with Oscar Huygens, one of the founding members of the Shinshu Bear Research Organisation, offering his expertise.

'We are very proud to have the opportunity to work with Oscar Hyugens and to be able to add this fascinating tour to our summer 2007 line-up,' said Celia Green, manager of Group Tours.

'It is a wonderful insight into the life of bears in Japan and we are pleased to be able to raise awareness of conservation issues in the alps.'

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