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This 258 km route runs from Hikarigaoka Park to Matsumoto Castle, passing through Tokyo, Nagano, Gunma, and Saitama. In the past 30 days, 45 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 30 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
8 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Tokyo, Nagano, Gunma, Saitama.
One bear was captured with a tranquilizer gun at Nanbu Park in Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano
A bear was confirmed in a tree at Nanbu Park.
Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano
One bear appeared at Nanbu Park in Hiratahigashi, Matsumoto.
Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano
One bear was caught on a company security camera in Hiratahigashi, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano
On 2026-05-22 before 08:00, a bear was reported in a yard in Kotobuki-kita, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano
A bear appeared in the residential area of Kotobuki-kita in Matsumoto City and also along the Tagawa riverbank.
Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano
A bear was sighted around 7:30 a.m. in a residential area of Kotobuki-kita 8, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Kotobuki-toyooka, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino 明科光, Nagano
Ueda, Nagano
One bear was seen in Nambu Park in Matsumoto, Nagano, stayed on a tree for about an hour, and was captured with a tranquilizer gun.
Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano
A bear was seen in a residential yard in Kotobuki-kita, Matsumoto City, on the morning of May 22, followed by additional sightings in the area.
Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano
Around 07:00 on May 21, 2026, one bear was sighted in a residential area near the Kobo-yama kofun in Namiyanagi, Matsumoto City. Namiyanagi Elementary School was closed temporarily and 54 pupils who had already arrived were handed over to their guardians. Police and municipal authorities searched the area but did not find the bear; footprints believed to be from a bear were found in a nearby field. No human injuries were reported.
Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano
A resident reported seeing a bear in Nariai, Matsumoto City, and called 110.
Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano
In Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, bear sightings had been occurring near urban areas and schools; on the morning of the 20th one bear was found in the Yashiro area and was culled. The city reported sightings in Yashiro and Awasa districts since the afternoon of the 19th.
Chikuma Yashiro, Nagano
On the morning of May 20, 2026, a male bear about 1.5 meters long that appeared in a riverbed in Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture was captured with a tranquilizer gun and culled. On the same day, the body of an 85-year-old man was found with severe head and body injuries in a ravine in Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture; a bear was seen nearby and police consider a bear attack likely.
Chikuma Kuiseke, Nagano
On May 20 at around 07:30, Chikuma City captured one Asiatic black bear (male adult, 1.3–1.5 m long, 78.5 kg) on a sandbar of the Sano River between Inariyama and Hachiman; local hunters culled the bear at the city's request. It is believed to be the same individual that was sighted multiple times in the city center on the 19th; no injuries were reported.
Chikuma Inariyama, Nagano
In Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, on the morning of May 20, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was found; at around 07:30 prefectural bear-response personnel captured it with a tranquilizer gun and it was subsequently culled by a hunters' association. A passerby reported seeing a bear just after 05:30 along National Route 18 near Sakurado, and the animal found along the Sano River in the Yahata area is believed to be the same individual repeatedly sighted since the previous day.
Chikuma Ussawa, Nagano
On the morning of May 20, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was found in the Sano River flowing between Yawata and Inariyama in Chikuma City; a member of the hunters' association used a tranquilizer gun to capture and euthanize it around 7:30 AM. Sightings had been reported repeatedly in the city since May 19.
Chikuma Yawata, Nagano
Around 07:30 on the 20th, a male bear found on the riverbank of Sanogawa in the Inariyama area of Chikuma City was subdued with a tranquilizer gun, captured and subsequently euthanized. The bear weighed 78.5 kg, and the city believes it is the same individual that had been sighted repeatedly in urban areas since the 19th.
Chikuma Yashiro, Nagano
On the morning of May 20, an adult male bear was tranquilized, captured, and euthanized on a sandbar in the Sano River in Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture. The bear weighed 78.5 kg and measured about 1.3–1.5 m; its stomach was reported empty, and the city believes it is the same individual linked to multiple sightings in the urban area since May 19.
Chikuma Inariyama, Nagano
On May 20, 2026, at around 05:35, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Sakurado, Chikuma City; the Chikuma police subsequently captured the single bear.
Chikuma Ussawa, Nagano
Just after 5:30 AM on the 20th, a passerby spotted a bear near Habu Junior High School in Sakurado, Chikuma City. Shortly after 7:30 AM, prefectural bear-response personnel found, captured, and euthanized one bear on the riverbank in Inariyama, Chikuma City; there were no injuries.
Chikuma Imojiya, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Kotobuki-shirasebuchi, Nagano
Around 2 PM on May 20, a bear was sighted in Sasaga, Matsumoto City, Nagano.
Matsumoto, Nagano
On the afternoon of May 19 in Chikuma City (Awasa area), a bear estimated at about 1 meter long was repeatedly sighted in the urban area; a security camera captured it crossing a road and running away at around 13:20. The city and police searched the area but did not find the animal, and nearby elementary schools implemented precautions such as parent pick-ups and cancelling after-school activities.
Chikuma Awasa, Nagano
On the afternoon of May 19, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in urban areas of Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, around Yashiro's Susuki Suijinsha (Susukigi Shrine), along Route 18, and in a supermarket parking lot. Police and the city patrolled and warned residents; nearby elementary and middle schools asked parents to pick up children and suspended after-school club activities and conducted group dismissals. No human injuries were reported.
Chikuma Awasa, Nagano
A bear appeared on an elementary school commuting route in Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture; surveillance cameras captured it crossing the road and running. Sightings were reported repeatedly in the urban area with houses and shops, and police are monitoring the area.
Chikuma Kuiseke, Nagano
A bear appeared during a junior high school soccer match in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, causing about 100 people to evacuate. A 78-year-old man fought back at the scene, reportedly hitting the bear's nose with his fist, after which the bear fled.
Ueda Ninomaru, Nagano
On May 17, 2026, shortly after 14:30, a bear appeared from the woods during a middle school soccer match at a school ground in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. About 100 players and guardians evacuated and the match was cancelled (the sighting was filmed by a TV Shinshu reporter).
Ueda Ninomaru, Nagano
Tomioka 妙義町諸戸, Gunma
A black bear was standing on all four paws at the roadside.
Karuizawa, Nagano
Around 7:30 a.m. on the 16th, a resident walking in the Itopia Komoro Kogen villa area in Okubo, Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture, reported seeing one adult bear about 1 meter long and called the police. Officers arrived but the bear had already left; no further sightings or damage have been confirmed and the police are warning local residents.
Komoro Okubo, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字追分, Nagano
It was a cub about 1 meter long. It immediately went off to the left and disappeared from view. I turned back.
Annaka, Gunma
Size: Adult
Azumino 明科光, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 明科中川手, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Matsumoto Kariyaharamachi, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Chikuhoku, Nagano
It was watching us from a distance along the Apt Trail.
Annaka, Gunma
Size: Adult
Matsumoto Gojo, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町五料, Gunma
Peak activity at 7:00 with 9 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
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In the past 30 days, 45 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 30 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 258 km route runs from Hikarigaoka Park to Matsumoto Castle, passing through Tokyo, Nagano, Gunma, and Saitama. In the past 30 days, 45 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 30 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
