This 375 km route from 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art to Sumidagawa bridge crosses Ishikawa, Tokyo, Gifu, Kanagawa, Nagano, Toyama, and Yamanashi. Over the past 30 days, 32 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 1 day ago near Takayama 奥飛騨温泉郷平湯, Gifu; the location sits about 126.9 km from the start of the route and 992 m off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 4 days ago at Fujimi, Nagano, sitting about 207.5 km from the start and 78 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
24 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Ishikawa, Tokyo, Gifu, Kanagawa, Nagano, Toyama, Yamanashi.
There was a bear on the slope beside the first parking lot at Hirayu Great Falls. I contacted the police as a precaution.
Takayama 奥飛騨温泉郷平湯, Gifu
Size: Unknown
Asahi, Nagano
It was a fairly thin bear. I spotted it about 15 meters to my side moving away toward the rear.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Around 10:20 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
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
One bear sighted
Toyama, Toyama
It appeared/was seen beside the national highway.
Takayama, Gifu
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
Toyama City conducted an emergency cull on the afternoon of April 30 and eliminated one bear at 12:59 PM that had caused a human injury. The culled bear was a male approximately 150 cm long, weighing 110 kg and estimated to be 7 years old; it was found hiding in a thicket about 200 meters north of the attack site.
Toyama, Toyama
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s walking was attacked, and on the afternoon of April 30 an emergency shooting operation killed a male bear measuring 150 cm and weighing 110 kg (estimated 7 years old). The cull took place in a thicket about 200 meters north of the site where the woman was attacked.
Toyama, Toyama
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s was attacked; a single male bear approximately 150 cm long, about 110 kg in weight, and estimated to be 7 years old was found in a thicket about 200 meters north of the scene and was culled.
Toyama, Toyama
Size: adult (fully grown)
Matsumoto, Nagano
On the night of April 29, 2026, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear in a residential area of Toyama City. A prefectural police helicopter equipped with a thermal scope detected a heat source from above and pinpointed the bear's hiding place; authorities issued an Asiatic black bear sighting warning.
Toyama, Toyama
Around 19:30 on the previous day, a woman in her 40s walking her dog in a residential area of Toyama City was attacked by a bear that emerged from an irrigation canal, suffering scratches to her face and head. She was taken to hospital by nearby residents and is not in life-threatening condition; police and the city, together with a hunters' association, are conducting searches and patrols but the bear has not been found and its size is unknown.
Toyama, Toyama
In a residential area of Toyama City, a woman in her 40s who was walking her dog was attacked by a bear that jumped out of an irrigation canal, suffering injuries to her face and head. The incident occurred on the evening of April 29, 2026.
Toyama, Toyama
A bear was reported sighted in Uenohara City, Yamanashi Prefecture. There have been no reports of injuries or capture.
Uenohara, Yamanashi
Around 13:00, a passerby reported seeing a bear cub to the reception at Fudōji Temple, and the report was forwarded to the Agriculture and Forestry Promotion Division via the Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division. Because the witness could not stay to accompany officials, no on-site inspection was carried out; however, the location was inferred based on the details of the report.
Oyabe, Ishikawa
On the afternoon of April 26, 2026, a security guard spotted a bear near Kurikara Fudoji in Tsubata Town, Ishikawa Prefecture. Town staff and members of the hunters' association patrolled the area, and the bear reportedly fled into the mountain opposite the festival site.
Tsubata Kurikara, Ishikawa
Around 13:50 on April 26, a bear about 70 cm long was sighted on a road near Kurikara Fudo-ji in Tsubata Town, Ishikawa Prefecture. A security guard observed the bear, which ran toward the mountain away from the festival site; town staff and the local hunters' association are patrolling the area and urging caution.
Tsubata Kurikara, Ishikawa
At around 13:50, an event security guard at the Yaezakura Festival reported via the Commerce and Tourism Division that a bear cub (about 70 cm in body length) had been sighted. A field inspection was conducted, but no traces or evidence were found.
Oyabe, Ishikawa
On the night of April 20, an AI camera in the mountainside of Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, captured an adult bear. Authorities have urged nearby residents to be cautious.
Tonami 新又, Toyama
One bear was detected by the AI bear camera.
Tonami 塩浅, Toyama
A cub was crying from across the stream. It couldn’t be seen. Although there was no noticeable animal odor, the cries were clearly audible at a close distance.
Hachioji, Tokyo
Around 15:50 on April 14, 2026, a resident sighted what appeared to be a bear cub in the Shimotata forest area of Osawano, Toyama City (about 150 m east of National Route 41). There are a housing complex and a certified childcare center nearby; police and the hunters' association patrolled but could not find the bear and are considering setting a box trap.
Toyama Sakuragicho, Toyama
A report was received of what appeared to be a cub, and officers patrolling the area confirmed the presence of the cub itself on site.
Toyama Shitabayashi, Toyama
Around 13:00 on April 14, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted near the Omukai bus stop on the Otsuki-Uenohara prefectural road in Uenohara, Yamanashi Prefecture by a person driving on the road. The bear reportedly returned to the mountains afterward; the city is conducting patrols with the hunters' association and police and has issued warnings via disaster radio.
Uenohara Tsurugawa, Yamanashi
A bear cub-like animal was sighted, and the bear itself was confirmed from video taken by the witness.
Toyama Shitabayashi, Toyama
On the afternoon of April 13, 2026, a bear believed to be a cub was sighted in Nishi-Osawa, Toyama City; police confirmed the sighting from a video taken by a witness. Police have increased patrols and warned people to avoid approaching the bear, evacuate to a safe place, and contact the police station or city office.
Toyama, Toyama
Size: juvenile
Shiojiri Kaminishijo, Nagano
Peak activity at 13:00 with 5 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, 32 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 1 day ago near Takayama 奥飛騨温泉郷平湯, Gifu; the location sits about 126.9 km from the start of the route and 992 m off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 13:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 375 km route from 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art to Sumidagawa bridge crosses Ishikawa, Tokyo, Gifu, Kanagawa, Nagano, Toyama, and Yamanashi. Over the past 30 days, 32 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 1 day ago near Takayama 奥飛騨温泉郷平湯, Gifu; the location sits about 126.9 km from the start of the route and 992 m off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 4 days ago at Fujimi, Nagano, sitting about 207.5 km from the start and 78 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
