This 96.4 km route from Kitaakita to Namioka Castle crosses Akita and Aomori. Over the past 30 days, 76 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 25 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 23 hours ago near Kuroishi 大字竹鼻, Aomori; the location sits about 83.5 km from the start of the route and 129 m off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Kosaka, Akita, sitting about 39.4 km from the start and 9 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
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
A driver traveling on National Route 7 observed one bear (body length 1 m) in a rice field / direction of travel unknown / 100 m from the nearest residence
Odate Nagasaka, Akita
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
A passerby sighted one bear (body length 1.0 m) crossing the road from east to west and leaving the area.
Odate Yachimachi-ushiro, 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
A passerby sighted one bear (body length approx. 1.0 m) / direction of travel: north / about 300 m south of Shimokawa River Middle School
Odate, Akita
[Post] Ran from the residential area toward the rice field
Odate Negeto, Akita
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
Driver sighted one bear (body length about 1.0 m) / direction of travel unknown / approximately 300 m west of Odate Police Station
Odate, Akita
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
【Post】
Odate Katayama, Akita
Seen by nearby residents / Direction of movement unknown / About 250 m south of Katsura Sakura High School
Odate, Akita
Odate, Akita
Crossed the road and went toward Katsura/Sakura High School
Odate, Akita
Odate, Akita
A local resident sighted one bear (about 1.0 m in body length) / direction of travel: south / approximately 50 m from the nearest house
Odate, Akita
At around 08:40 on May 8, a man in his 60s working in a field in Nukazawa Nakatani-chi, Tsuzureko, Kitaakita City, spotted a bear about 1.2 meters long. The nearest building was about 10 meters away; the Kitaakita Police patrolled by patrol car and warned residents.
Kitaakita Tsuzureko, Akita
Witnessed one bear about 1 meter long in the grassy area near a railroad crossing. Approximately 60 meters from nearby houses.
Kitaakita, Akita
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted near Nagasaka River around 14:00 on May 7 in Kamitokawa Tomokawa No.4 (and boundary with No.5) in Kuroishi City. The city is considering installing a box trap; a bear was also seen around 07:10 on May 6 at nearly the same spot, and sightings were reported nearby on May 3 and May 5.
Kuroishi, Aomori
[Post]
Odate Kohakama, Akita
Saw it in the grass
Odate Negeto, Akita
A local resident sighted one bear (body length 1.0 m) / moving south / approximately 150 m from the nearest elementary school
Odate Negeto, Akita
[Post]
Odate Negeto, Akita
A nearby resident sighted one bear (body length 1.0 m) / moving north / approximately 30 m from the nearest house
Odate Ikenai-michiue, Akita
Walked through the premises
Odate Ikenai-michiue, Akita
Driver sighted one bear (body length 1.5 m) moving west; approximately 10 m from Ken-ei Hagino-dai housing complex.
Odate Ikenai-michiue, Akita
[Report] Crossed national highway — over 1 meter
Odate, Akita
Local resident sighted one bear (body length 1.5 m) / moving west / approximately 80 m from the nearest house
Odate, Akita
Posted: Moving west along the irrigation channel beside the rice fields. Witnessed while driving, so subsequent actions are unknown.
Odate, Akita
On a municipal road in Ikeuchi, Odate City, a woman in her 40s driving a car spotted a bear.
Odate Ikenai, Akita
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
The bear headed from the national highway into the forest.
Odate, Akita
Sighted one Asiatic black bear (Tsukinowaguma) behind the Isedotai Jomon Museum. It appeared to be eating something in the grass.
Kitaakita Wakigami, Akita
Reported: Body approximately 1 meter. Walking in a mountain very close to the road.
Odate, Akita
Spotted one bear about 1.2 m in length in the grassy area near the facility. It then moved south. Approximately 30 m from the nearby facility.
Kitaakita Isecho, Akita
Spotted one bear of unknown body length in a grassy area. Approximately 10 meters from a house. Subsequent direction of departure unknown.
Kitaakita Wakigami, Akita
A single bear walked south between the houses. About 5 meters from a residence.
Kitaakita Miyamaecho, Akita
At around 11:20 on April 28, 2026, a bear about 80 cm long was sighted in the grounds of a vacant house in Akagawadai, Wakigami, Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture by a woman in her 60s living next door. The Kitaakita police said the nearest house was about 20 meters away and urged residents to be cautious.
Kitaakita Wakigami, Akita
[Post] Spotted a bear cub alone on the highway
Kosaka, Akita
While a vehicle was in motion, one bear (approximately 1.0 m in body length) was sighted / Direction of travel: east / Approximately 50 m to the nearest residence
Odate, Akita
At around 16:50 on April 27, 2026, a man in his 30s driving in Odate City, Karasawa Inariyama-shimo, spotted one bear about 1 meter long on the road. The nearest house is about 50 meters away and there is a hospital in the area; the police are patrolling the vicinity and urging residents to be cautious.
Odate Karasawa, Akita
A staff member at a nearby facility sighted one bear (body length unknown) / direction of travel unknown / approximately 150 meters from the nearest facility
Odate Shakanai, Akita
In the forest at Odate City, Shakainai, at around 10:20 a.m. on the 27th, school staff spotted one bear about 50 cm in length. The nearest house is about 30 meters away and Shakainai Elementary School about 10 meters; the police notified related agencies, are patrolling the area with patrol cars, and have warned residents to be cautious.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A single bear (body length 1.0 m) was sighted by nearby residents / moving east / approximately 100 m from the nearest house
Odate Niida, Akita
One bear (body length 0.5 m) seen eating something along the water channel / direction of travel: northwest / 200 m northwest of Shakainai Elementary School
Odate Shakanai, Akita
Around 12:00 on April 25, 2026, a bear approximately 50 cm long was sighted on the grounds of a private house in Aizenei(?) (Shaka-nai Aosen-dai), Odate City, Akita Prefecture. A man in his 50s working in the garden spotted it, and the Odate police are patrolling the area by patrol car and warning residents.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
Local resident sighted one bear (body length 0.6 m) / direction of travel unknown / approximately 10 m from the nearest house
Odate Shakanai, Akita
At around 7:30 a.m. on the 24th, a walking man in his 30s spotted a bear about 50 cm long in a grassy area in Shakainai, Odate City, Akita Prefecture. According to the Odate police station, the nearest house is about 40 meters away, and the station has warned residents to be cautious.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
[Post]
Odate, Akita
A driver sighted one bear (body length unknown) in the woods beside a city road / direction of travel unknown / 150 m south of Shakanai Elementary School
Odate, Akita
At around 15:30 on April 23, 2026, a police officer on patrol spotted one bear about 50 cm long in a grassy area in Shakainai, Odate City. The nearest house was about 40 meters away; police contacted related agencies, increased patrols by police car, and warned residents to be cautious.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A local resident sighted one bear (body length unknown) in the forest beside a municipal road / direction of travel unknown / 150 m south of Shakanai Elementary School
Odate, Akita
At around 08:20 on April 22, 2026, a bear about 50 cm long was sighted in a grass field in Shakakunai, Odate City by a woman in her 30s driving through the area. The bear was about 10 meters from the nearest house; authorities were notified and patrol cars have been warning residents and monitoring the area.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A driver traveling on a municipal road sighted one bear (body length 1 m) / direction of travel: northwest / 400 m south of Odate Daiichi Junior High School
Odate Negeto, Akita
A local resident sighted one bear (body length 0.5 m) in the woods beside the municipal road / heading east / 150 m south of Shakanai Elementary School
Odate, Akita
At around 16:50 on the 21st, a woman in her 30s at home in Shakanai, Odate City, Akita Prefecture, sighted a bear about 50 cm long. According to the Odate police, the bear was about 10 meters from the nearest house, and authorities warned residents to be cautious.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
[Post] There was a cub
Odate, Akita
[Report] One bear about 1 meter tall near the side just before the bridge along Route 7.
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita
Entry into cow barn and damage to feed
Odate, Akita
A nearby resident sighted one bear (body length 0.5 m) / direction of travel unknown / inside residential property
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A nearby resident spotted one bear (body length 60 cm) / direction of travel unknown / about 10 m from the nearest house
Odate Shakanai, Akita
[Report] Nearby resident sighted one bear (body length 60 cm) / Direction of travel unknown / Approximately 10 m from the nearest house
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A local resident sighted one bear (body length 1 m) / heading northeast / 300 m northeast of the Ikenai Ramp entrance intersection on National Route 103.
Odate Ikenai-michiue, Akita
One bear approximately 1 meter in body length sighted in a grassy area. It then departed to the southwest. About 30 meters from nearby facilities.
Kitaakita Nanukaichi, Akita
A passerby sighted one bear (body length 0.5 m) in the woods beside a municipal road / direction of movement unknown / 150 m south of Shakauchi Elementary School
Odate, Akita
Around 10:00 a.m. on the 16th, a male worker spotted a bear about 50 cm long in a forest in Odate City, Shakanai Aizome-dai, Akita Prefecture. According to the Odate Police, the site is about 30 meters from the nearest house; patrol cars are warning residents and monitoring the area.
Odate Shakanai, Akita
A passerby spotted one bear (body length 0.5 m) in the woods beside a municipal road / direction of travel unknown / 150 m south of Shakauchi Elementary School
Odate, Akita
Peak activity at 7:00 with 10 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 76 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 25 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 23 hours ago near Kuroishi 大字竹鼻, Aomori; the location sits about 83.5 km from the start of the route and 129 m off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 96.4 km route from Kitaakita to Namioka Castle crosses Akita and Aomori. Over the past 30 days, 76 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 25 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 23 hours ago near Kuroishi 大字竹鼻, Aomori; the location sits about 83.5 km from the start of the route and 129 m off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Kosaka, Akita, sitting about 39.4 km from the start and 9 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
