This 125 km route from Hachimantai to Namioka Castle crosses Iwate, Aomori, and Akita. Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 9 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 3 days ago near Kazuno, Akita; the location sits about 53.4 km from the start of the route and 1.2 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Kosaka Araya, Akita, sitting about 61.2 km from the start and 111 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
3 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Iwate, Aomori, Akita.
On my way to work I witnessed an Asian black bear (Tsukinowaguma) crossing the road and running up the embankment.
Kazuno, Akita
Around 19:00 on May 14, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Gobommatsu Hirano, Namioka, Aomori City, crossing Prefectural Road No. 27 (Aomori-Namioka Line) from south to north. No damage was reported.
Aomori, Aomori
At around 04:14 on May 14, 2026, a single Asiatic black bear (about 1 meter long) was sighted on a farm road in Yamamoto, Takehana, Kuroishi City; the location is roughly 200 meters northeast of the Tohoku Expressway Takadate PA (upbound), and the bear fled toward the highway. No damage was reported.
Kuroishi 大字竹鼻, Aomori
Near the Michi-no-Eki Namioka Apple Hill in Namioka, Aomori City, a black bear about 1 meter long was sighted moving on the road before 7:00 AM, and subsequent reports said bears were seen behind a supermarket and in residential yards. The prefecture has issued a prefecture-wide Asiatic black bear warning, and a separate bear was captured near a residence in Kuroishi City the previous day.
Aomori, Aomori
On May 13, 2026, between 06:55 and 07:50, four bears were sighted in Aomori City's Namioka area. Sightings occurred near the Michi-no-Eki Namioka Apple Hill (on a national road), a road in Namioaka Sugisawa Kamifukuda, behind The Big Namioka store, and a path beside a residential garden in Inoue; several bears were about 1 meter long and no damage was reported.
Aomori, Aomori
In Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, a female bear approximately 1 meter long and estimated to be 3–4 years old was captured in a box trap. The trap was set after pinpointing the bear's rough den location following repeated sightings; it may be the same individual that collided with a car, but authorities remain cautious in case it is a different bear.
Kuroishi 大字市ノ町, Aomori
On May 12, 2026, a female Asiatic black bear was captured in a box trap in Higashinotezo, Kuroishi City, Aomori. It measured about 1.0 m, weighed about 60 kg, is estimated to be 3–4 years old with no history of giving birth, and was confirmed by city staff at 08:30.
Kuroishi 大字東野添, Aomori
[Report] Footprints crossing the road from the east
Kosaka, Akita
On May 12 in Higashinozoe, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, one Asiatic black bear was captured in a box trap. The captured bear was a female about 1 meter long and weighing about 60 kg, estimated to be 3–4 years old with no history of giving birth. This was the first capture in the city this year.
Kuroishi 大字東野添, Aomori
At around 13:45 on May 10, the city reported that a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in an apple orchard east of Yoshinoda Shintameike in the Yoshinoda Nikogesawa area of Namioka, Aomori City.
Aomori, Aomori
On the afternoon of May 9, 2026, a bear was repeatedly sighted in rice fields near Hirakawa City's Osaki-Kidoguchi area and near Hiraga Higashi Elementary School. The municipality authorized an emergency gun hunt, and at around 18:30 hunters killed one adult male Asian black bear (about 1.5 m long, approximately 80 kg). No injuries were reported.
Hirakawa Osaki, Aomori
Shortly after 18:00 on May 9, city staff and members of a hunters' association found one bear in a rice field in Osaki Kidoguchi, Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture; the mayor authorized an emergency culling. The hunters fired a shot and the bear—a roughly 1.5-meter adult male—was killed.
Hirakawa Osaki, Aomori
One bear was sighted in a rice field in Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture, and was culled by an emergency shooting operation. The incident and response were reported on May 9, 2026, with the sighting/response occurring around 00:54.
Hirakawa Kashiwagimachi, Aomori
A bear was reported sighted in Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture. The article does not provide details of the sighting or whether anyone was injured.
Hirakawa Kashiwagimachi, Aomori
Driver sighted one bear (about 1 m in length) / direction of travel: east / approximately 300 m to the nearest house
Odate, Akita
[Report] While two of us were checking a fallen tree, we found a lot of large scat that was not yet dry. When I stood up after taking photos, I smelled a strong animal odor. Looking around, I noticed a warm, animal-like breath coming from somewhere, so we ran away. About 15 m from a house.
Kazuno Towada-Kemanai, Akita
On May 7 in a forest in Nishine Terada, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, the body of a woman in her 60s who had gone out to gather wild plants was found about 100 meters south of her car by a search team (discovered around 08:15 on the 7th). She had scratches on her face and head consistent with an animal attack, and the prefectural police are investigating the possibility that she was attacked by a bear.
Hachimantai, Iwate
A 69-year-old woman who went missing while foraging in Hachimantai was found dead on the morning of May 7, 2026, in woodland near the Nitta District Community Center in Nishine Terada, Hachimantai. The body had scratch-like wounds on the face, and police are investigating on the presumption she may have been attacked by a bear.
Hachimantai 西根寺田, Iwate
On the morning of May 7, 2026, the body of a woman in her 60s who had gone missing was found in a mountain forest near the Nitta District Community Center in Nishine Terada, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture. The body had scratch-like wounds on the face and head, and police are investigating on suspicion of a bear attack.
Hachimantai 西根寺田, Iwate
A woman in her 60s who had been reported missing in Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, was found collapsed in woodland near the Shinden District Community Center in Nishine Terada on May 7 at 08:13; emergency personnel confirmed her death at the scene. She had scratch wounds on her face believed to have been caused by a bear, and police are investigating the relationship between the wounds and the cause of death and whether a bear attack occurred.
Hachimantai 西根寺田, Iwate
On 2026-05-07 in Nishine Terada, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, the body of a 69-year-old woman who went missing on May 6 while foraging was found. The body had scratch wounds on the face and head and was discovered about 100 meters from her car; police say a bear attack is considered highly likely.
Hachimantai, Iwate
On May 7, 2026, the body of a woman was found in woodland in Nishineda Terada, Hachimantai City while foraging for wild plants. The body was located about 100 meters from her car; she was carrying a bear bell but had scratch-like wounds on her face and head, suggesting a possible bear attack.
Hachimantai, Iwate
At around 07:10 on May 6, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted near the Nagasaka Riverbed at the boundary between Tomeoka No.4 and No.5 in Kamitogawa, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture. After the sighting, the bear moved toward the Aoyama/Takeda-cho area.
Kuroishi 竹田町, Aomori
On May 5, 2026 at around 01:20, a bear about 1.5 meters long was sighted near a field in the Hakkō area of Kuroishi City. At around 04:20, another bear of unknown size was sighted near a different field in the same area a few hundred meters away.
Kuroishi 八甲, Aomori
In the early morning of May 5, 2026, a car on a farm road in Hakkō, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture collided with a bear crossing the road. The vehicle showed several scratches believed to be from the bear and footage was recorded; the article does not report any injuries.
Kuroishi 八甲, Aomori
Rice paddy / Body length 1 m / 200 m from a residence / 50 m from sighting Vehicle was driving on the road when a bear was discovered in the rice paddy. The bear moved west toward the direction of a waste processing facility.
Kosaka Araya, Akita
[Post] Witnessed crossing the Jukai Line from south to north
Kosaka, Akita
[Post] Spotted a bear cub alone on the highway
Kosaka, Akita
Beside the national highway in brush/Body length ~1 m/40 m from a residence/About 5 m from the witness While passing on the national highway by vehicle, I saw a bear sitting at the edge of the mountain beside the road. Because I drove past it, I do not know which direction it left. Afterwards the police checked the area but did not find the bear.
Kazuno Osarizawa, Akita
Crossed the road and climbed up the steep embankment on the right.
Kazuno 下長根, Akita
Peak activity at 8:00 with 8 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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Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 9 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 3 days ago near Kazuno, Akita; the location sits about 53.4 km from the start of the route and 1.2 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 8:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 125 km route from Hachimantai to Namioka Castle crosses Iwate, Aomori, and Akita. Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 9 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 3 days ago near Kazuno, Akita; the location sits about 53.4 km from the start of the route and 1.2 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Kosaka Araya, Akita, sitting about 61.2 km from the start and 111 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
