Saves as a new trip plan. The original stays as-is.
This 227 km route runs from Inzai to Karuizawa, passing through Chiba, Nagano, Gunma, Ibaraki, and Saitama. In the past 30 days, 40 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
4 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Chiba, Nagano, Gunma, Ibaraki, Saitama.
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano
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
Annaka 上後閑, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Kamigokan, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, on 2026-08-01.
Annaka 上後閑, Gunma
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Around 1:00 on July 31, a bear was sighted in Niibori, Matsuida-machi, Annaka City.
Annaka 松井田町新堀, Gunma
Annaka 松井田町新堀, Gunma
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町二軒在家, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Matsuidamachi Matsuida, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, around 12:45 on July 30.
Annaka 松井田町松井田, Gunma
Annaka 松井田町人見, Gunma
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
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
A bear was sighted in Goryo, Matsuidamachi, Annaka City around 8:00 on 2026-07-27.
Annaka, Gunma
Annaka, Gunma
Size: adult
Karuizawa, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町土塩, Gunma
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: Unknown
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Karuizawa, Karuizawa Town, Nagano.
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町行田, Gunma
One bear was seen moving in Matsuida-cho Gyoda, Annaka City, Gunma.
Annaka 松井田町行田, Gunma
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
Size: adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa 大字軽井沢, Nagano
On the way back from the Kirizumi Onsen parking lot, just before the upstream dam on the Kirizumi River, at a right-hand curve, it suddenly jumped out onto the road from the right (mountain) side and ran straight across toward the left (river) side, which is a cliff. About 5 m in front of the vehicle.
Annaka 松井田町坂本, 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
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
Peak activity at 8:00 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.
Draw any route in Japan and get the same bear-safety report, built around the trip you're actually taking.
No comments yet.
In the past 30 days, 40 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 8:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 227 km route runs from Inzai to Karuizawa, passing through Chiba, Nagano, Gunma, Ibaraki, and Saitama. In the past 30 days, 40 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
