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This 342 km route runs from Annaka to Yamagata, passing through Gunma, Gifu, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 16 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
7 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Gunma, Gifu, Nagano.
Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma
Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano
An adult bear and a cub were crossing the road from north to south.
Tsumagoi Kanbara, Gunma
Location: 36.36815° N, 138.59869° E We encountered 1 adult female bear with 2 cubs. The adult bear made a bluff charge toward us (stopped around 5 meters away) while the cubs ran up the hill. They then moved away together.
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Size: adult with cubs
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Naganohara Furumori, Gunma
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
A juvenile bear about 1 meter long was spotted along Prefectural Route 43 (Momiji Line) of the Karuizawa–Shimonita route. The mother bear could not be found, but is believed to be hiding nearby.
Shimonita, Gunma
Naganohara, Gunma
Around 1:00 PM on 2026-07-28, one bear was sighted in Karuizawa, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture.
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Size: adult
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
Around 8:20 AM on 2026-07-24, one bear was sighted in Hatachi, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture.
Karuizawa 大字発地, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字発地, Nagano
Around 8:20 on 2026-07-24, a bear was sighted in Nagakura, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture.
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
Naganohara Kitakaruizawa, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Mogusa, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture, around 7:15 a.m. on July 21.
Karuizawa 大字茂沢, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Karuizawa, Karuizawa Town, Nagano.
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Size: cub (young bear)
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Size: cub (young animal)
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
Naganohara, Gunma
Size: adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Naganohara Okuwa, Gunma
It looked like a large dog crossed the area, but there was no owner, and I realized it was a wild animal. It was not a boar, deer, or badger. Judging from the size, gait, and silhouette, I think it may have been a young Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), so I am reporting it. Also, while walking nearby I found a black, glossy, flattened droppings. After examining it, I believe it is likely from a bear.
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Oguwa, Naganohara Town, Gunma Prefecture, on the morning of 2026-07-13.
Naganohara, Gunma
I was riding a motorcycle on a tour, and it was just at the spot where the guardrail goes into the mountain, so I didn't take any photos and the location is not exact. I was heading west and report an approximate location based on my memory that it was a left-hand curve a little past the Megane Bridge parking area, at a place with a white guardrail.
Annaka, Gunma
Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma
Tsumagoi, Gunma
Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma
Size: adult
Kiso, Nagano
Size: Adult
Kiso, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Osasa, Tsumagoi Village, Gunma.
Tsumagoi Ozasa, Gunma
Size: juvenile
Nagiso Yomikaki, Nagano
Size: adult
Agematsu 旭町, Nagano
Size: adult
Shiojiri Niekawa, Nagano
In Seba, Shiojiri, Nagano, one female Asian black bear caught in a box trap was culled by a hunters' association.
Shiojiri, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Shiojiri Soga, Nagano
Naganohara Furumori, Gunma
One bear was found inside a capture cage installed in Soga, Shiojiri City, and was culled by a local hunting association member.
Shiojiri Daimon, Nagano
Tsumagoi, Gunma
Size: adult with cub(s)
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Agematsu, Nagano
Size: adult
Ookuwa, Nagano
Tsumagoi, Gunma
Size: Unknown
Ueda, Nagano
Size: Adult
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Soga, Nagano
Size: adult
Shiojiri Soga, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Ueda, Nagano
Size: adult with cubs
Nagiso NAINO, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Nagiso NAINO, Nagano
Size: adult
Nagiso Azuma, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Nagiso, Nagano
Size: adult
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Nakayama, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Ueda, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Ueda 真田町傍陽, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Ueda Sanadamachi-Osa, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ookuwa, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Matsumoto Arigasaki, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Arigasaki, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Arigasaki, Nagano
Tsumagoi, Gunma
Size: adult with cubs
Ookuwa, Nagano
Tsumagoi Omae, Gunma
Naganohara Okuwa, Gunma
Size: Unknown
Nagiso, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Kiso 大字薮原, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Nagiso, Nagano
Around 1:30 PM on 2026-07-12, a bear was sighted in Narai, Shiojiri City.
Shiojiri, Nagano
Peak activity at 10:00 with 3 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
Safety picks and trail essentials, top-rated on Amazon and Rakuten.
For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
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In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 16 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 10:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 342 km route runs from Annaka to Yamagata, passing through Gunma, Gifu, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 16 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Tsumagoi Ashiuda, Gunma. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
