This 202 km route from Gotemba to Kamikōchi crosses Shizuoka, Nagano, and Yamanashi. Over the past 30 days, 36 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 10 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 Shiojiri, Nagano; the location sits about 151.9 km from the start of the route and 4.6 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 week ago at Matsumoto, Nagano, sitting about 202.2 km from the start and 0 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
8 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Shizuoka, Nagano, Yamanashi.
Size: Adult
Shiojiri, Nagano
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Kyushiojiri, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano
At around 20:40 on May 17, 2026, a single bear about 50 cm long was sighted in a residential area about 60 meters south of Kimii-chi Nursery in Nakasu, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture. Police arrived but the bear had already left; police and city officials patrolled the area the next morning and warned residents, and no damage has been confirmed.
Suwa Nakasu, Nagano
Around 13:30 on May 16, 2026, a witness reported that a "dark-colored thing" crossed the road near the entrance to the Mizugatsuka Park trail in Susono City, Suyama, Shizuoka Prefecture; it is believed to be a bear. The city contacted the hunting association and nearby facilities to issue warnings, and police are patrolling the area, but no new sightings have been reported.
Susono, Shizuoka
Size: Adult
Azumino, Nagano
Around 18:00 on May 15, 2026, a member of the local hunting association reported to the city hall that they had sighted one adult bear about 1.5 meters long in Soga, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. Police arrived at the scene but the bear had already left; they are patrolling the area and warning residents.
Shiojiri Daimon, Nagano
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Azumino 堀金三田, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Kakizawa, Nagano
20 meters past the bear sighting notice board, spotted a bear cub on the left side of the wooden bridge.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino, Nagano
In Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, one bear ran out in front of a moving passenger car and collided with it, damaging the left front tire area and leaving the vehicle unable to drive, but there were no injuries. In Aomori Prefecture, bear sightings near inhabited areas prompted emergency shooting, and a total of two bears were culled; one of the culled adults is believed to be an Asiatic black bear about 1.5 m long and 80 kg.
Shiojiri Daimon-nanabancho, Nagano
Small black bear about 100/150 meters next to hiking trail.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
In the early morning of the 8th, a suspected bear about 1 m long was spotted on a national road in Kofu City, the city reported. The city is urging people to be cautious.
Kōfu Wakamatsucho, Yamanashi
Size: Unknown
Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano
On that day, while playing on the Kagosaka course, a bear appeared, so we were instructed to wait in the clubhouse. It seems this has not yet been reported, so I am reporting it.
Oyama, Shizuoka
Size: Adult
Azumino 堀金烏川, Nagano
鍵掛峠から下りしながら鍵掛峠登山口の近くで熊みたいな動物を目にした。確認できない。
Fujikawaguchiko Saikonishi, Yamanashi
Adult with baby. Location is not completely accurate but the bears were just near the main tourist walking trail.
Matsumoto, Nagano
It was a fairly thin bear. I spotted it about 15 meters to my side moving away toward the rear.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Around 10:30 on May 4, 2026, a single bear about 1.10 m long appeared at a residence with a vegetable stand in the highland known as "Hoshifuru-sato" in Hara Village, Nagano. It was captured with a tranquilizer gun shortly before 14:00.
Hara, Nagano
Around 10:20 on May 4, a bear about 1.0–1.1 m long was sighted near the restaurant grounds in Nakashinden, Haramura (Suwa District), Nagano Prefecture; police and hunters responded. In the afternoon it was immobilized with a dart gun, captured and subsequently euthanized by the village authorities; no injuries or property damage were reported.
Hara, Nagano
At around 10:20 on May 4, 2026, a single adult bear (about 1.1 m long, approximately 45 kg) was sighted on the grounds of a restaurant/residence and nearby house in Shinmida, Hara Village, Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture. Police, hunting association members and village staff responded and the bear was sedated with a tranquilizer gun and captured at about 13:40; it was subsequently euthanized. No injuries or damage to buildings were reported.
Hara, Nagano
On May 4 in Hara Village, Nagano Prefecture, a bear (approximately 1.10 m in length) seen on the premises of a restaurant was sedated with a tranquilizer gun by police and hunting association members, captured, and euthanized. Reports say the bear had moved toward a nearby vegetable direct-sales stall.
Hara, Nagano
Near the Chuo Expressway Suwa-Minami interchange in Hara village, a bear was seen on a home's premises after 10:00 AM and was captured with a tranquilizer gun about four hours later on another home's grounds. The animal, about 1.1 meters long and believed to be a young individual, had repeatedly raided nearby beehives and was culled by the village after capture. No injuries were reported.
Fujimi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri, Nagano
On April 30 at around 14:30, the owner of a restaurant near the Misayama signal intersection in Hara Village reported seeing a roughly 1-meter bear in the garage. Village staff, police and hunting association members arrived but the bear had already left; footprints and droppings were found nearby, and no damage has been confirmed.
Hara, Nagano
Around 14:30 on April 30, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long entered the garage of Restaurant Petika in Hara village, Nagano Prefecture, destroyed a beehive box kept years earlier and left droppings. The bear got briefly caught in a garden net, freed itself and fled into the woods; the village set two box traps.
Hara, Nagano
Size: adult
Hara, Nagano
一頭母熊帶小熊 A female bear was followed by a cub.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino, Nagano
Peak activity at 10:00 with 5 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 36 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 10 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 Shiojiri, Nagano; the location sits about 151.9 km from the start of the route and 4.6 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 10:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 202 km route from Gotemba to Kamikōchi crosses Shizuoka, Nagano, and Yamanashi. Over the past 30 days, 36 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 10 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 Shiojiri, Nagano; the location sits about 151.9 km from the start of the route and 4.6 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 week ago at Matsumoto, Nagano, sitting about 202.2 km from the start and 0 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
