This 37.9 km route from Yuza to Nikaho crosses Yamagata and Akita. Over the past 30 days, 19 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 4 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Nikaho, Akita; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Nagaoka, Akita, sitting about 24.1 km from the start and 19 m off the route line.
At this density of recent sightings, consider rescheduling or choosing a different trail until activity quiets.
While driving on the prefectural road toward the hospital area, I spotted one bear crossing. Body length about 1 m.
Nikaho, Akita
Distance to houses: 800 m; Body length: approximately 0.7 m
Yurihonjō Nishisawa, Akita
A single bear cub crossed the city road toward the mountains.
Nikaho Maesawa, Akita
Approximately 1 meter long. Witnessed a bear in a rice field.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Hongo, Akita
At around 08:15 on the 10th, a bear approximately 1.5 meters long was sighted on the railway tracks at Daidōshita, Osugo, Kisakata-cho, Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture. A man in his 70s who was walking nearby spotted the bear, which was about 2 meters from a nearby house; the Yurihonjo police warned residents to be cautious.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Osugo, Akita
Spotted one approximately 1.5 m bear on the JR Uetsu Line tracks. 2 m from a house.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Osugo, Akita
One bear about 80 cm in body length was walking north from a rice field.
Nikaho Otake, Akita
While gathering bracken ferns, I was periodically checking around for bears when one suddenly appeared from behind a hill. I’m not sure whether it noticed me, but it ran off toward the north.
Nikaho Toshi, Akita
At about 14:25 on May 8, 2026, a woman in her 60s at the Koide after-school childcare club 'Keyakikko' in Hashimoto, Nakamisaji, Nikaho City, sighted a single bear approximately 60 cm long on the facility grounds. Police contacted related agencies, patrolled the area by squad car, and warned residents to be cautious.
Nikaho Terada, Akita
One bear cub sighted near the former Koide Elementary School
Nikaho Terada, Akita
One cub (about 50 cm) was seen moving from the bushes into the rice field.
Nikaho Terada, Akita
Announcements by loudspeaker and by car warned that a bear had been seen near the former Koide Elementary School.
Nikaho Terada, Akita
Saw a bear cub running up the embankment at Nagaoka Community Hall
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Nagaoka, Akita
At around 11:40 a.m. on the 4th, a bear was sighted on a slope near the Nagaoka community center in Nagaoka, Iejiri, Kisakata-cho, Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture. According to the Yurihonjo Police, the bear's body length is unknown; it was about 100 meters from the nearest house, and the police have warned residents to be cautious.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Nagaoka, Akita
While we had parked the car and were walking down to the beach with my family to look for things like sea glass, we found footprints that looked like a bear’s and immediately left the area.
Nikaho, Akita
[Report] Bear sighted at Kosunagawa Beach. Body length unknown.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Kosagawa, Akita
Around 14:00 on April 26, 2026, a parent-and-child bear was sighted near the nursing home Shoto-so in Sugasato, Yusa Town, and the town urged nearby residents to be cautious. Since late February, sightings of bears and wild boar have been frequent in Yusa Town, and there have been 74 bear sightings in the prefecture so far, an increase at a pace exceeding last year's record.
Yuza 菅里, Yamagata
One bear approximately 1 meter in body length was sighted.
Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Kodaki, Akita
Around 11:40 on April 24, 2026, one bear was filmed running through a rice paddy in Kisakata Town, Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture. The filmer said they were in a car heading from near Mototaki toward the Kisakata interchange when the bear crossed the road and went from the paddy back into the mountain.
Nikaho 田の神, Akita
Peak activity at 14:00 with 6 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 19 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 4 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Nikaho, Akita; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 14:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 37.9 km route from Yuza to Nikaho crosses Yamagata and Akita. Over the past 30 days, 19 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 4 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Nikaho, Akita; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Nikaho Kisakatamachi-Nagaoka, Akita, sitting about 24.1 km from the start and 19 m off the route line. At this density of recent sightings, consider rescheduling or choosing a different trail until activity quiets.
