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This 152 km route runs from Chikusei to Aizuwakamatsu, passing through Ibaraki, Fukushima, and Tochigi. In the past 30 days, 55 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiaizu Kanaizawa, Fukushima.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
1 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Ibaraki, Fukushima, Tochigi.
On Monday, June 22, at around 1:43 p.m., in the Kanaizawa area of Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 40s) sighted a bear about 1 m in body length on the mountainside to the left of the road while driving east on a town road. The bear noticed the car and fled into the forest; its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Kanaizawa, Fukushima
Around 11:55 a.m. on Monday, June 22, a witness (a man in his 60s) spotted a bear (about 1 m in body length) climbing the slope of a mountain to the east while he was doing farm work in the Hachimammae area, Tabe, Minamiaizu Town. The bear continued up the slope into the forested mountain area and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Tabe, Fukushima
One bear was sighted in Tabu Hachimanmae, Minamiaizu Town.
Minamiaizu Tabe, Fukushima
A man in his 60s working on farm tasks spotted one bear climbing a mountain slope in Tabu, Minamiaizu Town.
Minamiaizu Tabe, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 中塩原, Tochigi
Nasushiobara 関谷, Tochigi
On Sunday, June 21 at around 12:25 p.m., a witness (female in her 60s) driving a vehicle in the Kaminobusaka area of Nagano, Minamiaizu Town, observed a bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the town road from south to north. The bear’s subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Nagano, Fukushima
Around 12:25 on 2026-06-21 in Nagano Kamisaka, Minamiaizu Town, one bear about 1 m long was seen crossing a town road.
Minamiaizu Nagano, Fukushima
On Friday, June 19 at around 4:25 p.m., in the Fukuroguchi area of Takihara, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 70s) saw a bear (about 50 cm in body length) when he went outside his home; the bear was in what used to be a rice field west of the house. The bear then entered brush to the west.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
Around 1:20 p.m. on Friday, June 19, in Tabebara, Tajima, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 50s) saw a bear about 50 cm in body length near a shrine to the north while mowing grass. The bear then ran toward the river to the north and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Tabe, Fukushima
On 2026-06-19 afternoon, one bear was seen moving in Tabebara, Tajima, Minamiaizu Town, Fukushima.
Minamiaizu Tabe, Fukushima
At approximately 4:24 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, on National Route 121 in the Shimoozawa area of Nagano, Minamiaizu Town, a passenger car driven by a woman in her 70s, while traveling westbound, collided with a bear (about 50 cm in body length) that was crossing the road from south to north. After the collision, the bear continued north and entered the forest. The vehicle sustained minor damage. No human injuries or other property damage were confirmed.
Minamiaizu Tando, Fukushima
A man driving a car saw one bear cross the road in Oto-machi, Aizuwakamatsu City.
Aizuwakamatsu Otomachi-Ashinomaki, Fukushima
Around 10:10 on 2026-06-16, one bear was sighted moving in Takihara Fukurakuchi, Minamiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 16, at approximately 10:10 a.m., in Fukuroguchi, Takihara, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 70s) looked outside from his home and saw one bear (about 50 cm in body length) in what used to be a rice field to the west of his house. The bear then left, heading toward the mountains to the west.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 中塩原, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Naka-Shiobara, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi, around 15:30 on June 15.
Nasushiobara 中塩原, Tochigi
On Sunday, June 14, at approximately 4:45 p.m., in the Dosshita area of Nagano, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 70s) observed one bear (about 50 cm in body length) crossing the road from south to north while he was taking a break. The bear fled into the brush on the north side and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Nagano, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 折戸, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Nagataseguchi, Minamiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture, around 11:42 on 2026-06-12.
Minamiaizu Nagata, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12 at approximately 11:42 a.m., in the Sekiguchi area of Nagata, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 40s) spotted a bear while driving. The witness saw one bear (about 50 cm in body length) sitting in the roadside grass. The witness drove past the location, so the bear’s subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu Nakaarai, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 塩原, Tochigi
On Thursday, June 11 at approximately 5:45 PM, in Fukuroguchi area, Takihara, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 70s) went outside to bring in laundry that had been hung out and spotted one bear (about 50 cm in body length) on the slope of the mountain southwest of his home. The bear then ran off toward the interior of the forest.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
On Wednesday, June 10 at around 8:00 p.m., on National Route 121 in Miyamae, Kawashima, Minamiaizu Town, a passenger car traveling south collided with a bear (about 1 m in body length) that dashed onto the road from west to east. After the collision, the bear continued east and left for the forest. No human or property damage has been confirmed.
Minamiaizu Sekimoto, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Kawashima-Miyamae, Minamiaizu Town, and collided with a car.
Minamiaizu Sekimoto, Fukushima
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Shiguracho, Utsunomiya City.
Utsunomiya 問屋町, Tochigi
A man sighted one bear in a field in Oto-machi Kaminamizunami, Aizuwakamatsu City.
Aizuwakamatsu Otomachi-Kamimiyorikashu, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 9 at approximately 12:15 PM, a witness (male, in his 60s) spotted one bear (about 1 m in body length) in a field within Kamimiyori-Nambara, Oto Town, Aizuwakamatsu City. The bear entered the forested area to the east, and its subsequent movements are unknown.
Aizuwakamatsu Otomachi-Kamimiyorikashu, Fukushima
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
On June 8 (Monday) at around 12:15 PM, on Prefectural Route Shimogō-Aizuhongō in Ōuchi, Shimogō Town, a witness (male in his 40s) observed, while driving, a single bear (approximately 50 cm in length) coming down from the forest beside the road. The bear attempted to climb the rockfall-prevention wire mesh but noticed the approaching vehicle and returned to the forest.
Shimogo, Fukushima
Around 12:15 on June 8, one bear was sighted in Ouchi Yakusui, Shimogo Town.
Shimogo, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Tando Nasuzawa-yama, Minamiaizu town.
Shimogo, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 7 at approximately 10:40 a.m., in the Nasu-zawayama area of Tando, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (female in her 30s) saw one bear (about 50 cm in body length) on the slope of the forest to the right of the roadway while traveling west on National Route 121 at the above sighting location. The bear then ran back into the forest.
Minamiaizu Koya, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Sekiya, Nasu-Shiobara City.
Nasushiobara 関谷, Tochigi
Around 06:10 on 2026-06-06, a bear was sighted in Sekiya, Nasu-Shiobara City.
Nasushiobara 関谷, Tochigi
Nasushiobara 関谷, Tochigi
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
Around 13:40 on June 5, a bear was sighted in Nakamisui, Nikko City.
Nikkō 中三依, Tochigi
At around 2:00 a.m., one bear about 1.5 meters long was sighted within the grounds of a house in Yamada, Yaita City, Tochigi Prefecture.
Yaita Yamada, Tochigi
Yaita Yamada, Tochigi
On Thursday, June 4 at approximately 11:50 a.m., near Aizu-Kogen-Ozeguchi Station in Takihara Haneko area, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 60s) observed one bear (about 1 m in length) entering the mountain forest east of the railway tracks.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
A railway employee spotted one bear at Yagan Railway Naka-Miyori Onsen Station in Nikkō, Tochigi.
Nikkō 独鈷沢, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Takihara Haneko, Minamiaizu Town.
Minamiaizu Takinohara, Fukushima
Nikkō 独鈷沢, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Nakamiyori, Nikko City, Tochigi on the morning of 2026-06-04.
Nikkō 中三依, Tochigi
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
Nasushiobara, Tochigi
On Sunday, May 31 at approximately 3:50 p.m., on National Route 121 in Itozawa Aza Toishizawa, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 50s) observed one bear (about 1 meter in length) while driving. The witness passed by the bear, and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu, Fukushima
On Thursday, May 28 at approximately 6:54 p.m., in the Shimohara area of Takihara, Minamiaizu Town, on National Route 352, an eyewitness (male in his 80s) while driving observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the national highway from east to west. The bear proceeded toward the river on the west side of the highway, and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu, Fukushima
On Thursday, May 28 at approximately 5:15 p.m., in Dangoishi, Itosawa, Minamiaizu Town, a witness (woman in her 60s) traveling by vehicle observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) wandering in the roadside brush. The bear's subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Minamiaizu, Fukushima
Nasushiobara 折戸, Tochigi
Nasushiobara 遅野沢, Tochigi
Peak activity at 11:00 with 6 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, 55 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiaizu Kanaizawa, Fukushima.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 11:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 152 km route runs from Chikusei to Aizuwakamatsu, passing through Ibaraki, Fukushima, and Tochigi. In the past 30 days, 55 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiaizu Kanaizawa, Fukushima. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
