Saves as a new trip plan. The original stays as-is.
This 298 km route runs from Kitami to Wakkanai within Hokkaido. In the past 30 days, 56 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 8 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Esashi Minamihamacho, Hokkaido.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
No. 30 — Sighted in Minamihama Town (Date: July 28, Reiwa 8) Around 2:00 p.m., sighted about 430 m toward Mt. Mikasa from the T-junction intersection of National Route 238 and Prefectural Route 12.
Esashi Minamihamacho, Hokkaido
Around 3:00 PM on July 28, one bear was sighted on the municipal road between Saruru and Nashibetsu in Tomioka.
Okoppe Tomioka, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Hinode 3-chome, Hamatonbetsu Town.
Hamatonbetsu Chuo-kita, Hokkaido
Campers spotted a brown bear on the road. The bear ran off to the north.
Hamatonbetsu Kutcharokohan, Hokkaido
A town resident spotted a brown bear. The bear ran into the grove of trees behind the facility.
Hamatonbetsu Chuo-kita, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Chifuku 2-chome, Hamatonbetsu Town.
Hamatonbetsu Kutcharokohan, Hokkaido
No. 27: Otoshube capture location (July 25, 1996) Around 1:00 p.m., captured in a forest approximately 880 meters south-southeast of the Otoshube community center.
Esashi Otsuchube, Hokkaido
A driver from outside the town witnessed a brown bear crossing National Route 238 from east to west.
Hamatonbetsu Kutcharokohan, Hokkaido
Around 08:50 on 2026-07-22, a bear was sighted in Wakamatsu, Kitami City.
Kitami Wakamatsu, Hokkaido
Sighted near the bus stop on National Route 238 on 7/21
Sarufutsu Hamasarufutsu, Hokkaido
A brown bear was sighted on a road in Hama-Sarufutsu, Sarufutsu Village, and reported to police.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Around 10:05 on 2026-07-20, a bear was sighted in Misaki-cho, Esashi Town, Hokkaido.
Esashi Misakicho, Hokkaido
No. 23 — Cape Town sighting location (Observed on 20 July, Reiwa 8) Around 10:05 a.m., a passerby spotted [the bear] approximately 1 km from the Cape Town community center toward the Monmaki direction.
Esashi Misakicho, Hokkaido
evidence information
Kitami Wakamatsu, Hokkaido
[No.24] July 20, 2026: Time: 10:15 AM Location: Wakkanai City, Kozetomura Oaza, Eboku (Ekitoku) Content: Brown bear sighting
Wakkanai 声問村, Hokkaido
Sightings
Kitami Kawahigashi, Hokkaido
Okoppe Tomioka, Hokkaido
Around 9:50 AM on July 15, 1996 (Wednesday), one bear was sighted on the farm premises in Kamide, Kasuga Town.
Okoppe, Hokkaido
Sighted about 1 km from Sarubone Bridge on National Route 238 toward the Ashino area. Entered a bamboo grass thicket.
Sarufutsu Ashino, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Ashino, Sarufutsu Village, Hokkaido, on 2026-07-14.
Sarufutsu Ashino, Hokkaido
During a patrol by the local hunters' association, tracks of a brown bear crossing the town road from the north to the south were discovered.
Hamatonbetsu Kanegaoka, Hokkaido
A local resident driving in a car witnessed a brown bear crossing the road from the north side to the south side along a town road.
Hamatonbetsu Chuo-kita, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Hama-Sarufutsu, Sarufutsu Village, around 6:00 PM on July 12.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Around 4:05, footprints were discovered
Monbetsu Shokotsu-cho Kawamukai, Hokkaido
Crossing National Route 238 on July 12
Sarufutsu Hamasarufutsu, Hokkaido
No. 20 — Sighted in Tomamaki area (R8.7.11) Around 9:30 a.m., sighted about 300 m from the former Tomamaki Elementary School toward Menashidomari.
Esashi Toimaki, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Tomomaki, Esashi Town, Hokkaido, around 09:30 on 2026-07-11.
Esashi, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted at Asachino Plateau in Sarufutsu Village.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Saruputsu Village road Esanuka Line, near Mokeuni Swamp
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
July 8, 1996 (Wednesday) 9:40 — Bear droppings confirmed on the road from Hamamachi toward the former Sanitation Center.
Okoppe, Hokkaido
Dōdō Sarufutsu-Onishibetsu Line, near Ashino community hall
Sarufutsu Ashino, Hokkaido
It was in the middle of the Enusaka Line road
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
During a local hunters' association patrol, a brown bear was spotted in the woods by aerial drone footage.
Hamatonbetsu Toyokanbetsu, Hokkaido
A driver traveling on National Route 238 spotted a brown bear in the bamboo grass on the west side. The bear walked westward.
Hamatonbetsu Chuo-kita, Hokkaido
During a local hunting association patrol, a brown bear was discovered in the forest by aerial drone photography.
Hamatonbetsu Toyokanbetsu, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Wakamatsu, Kitami City, around 00:20 on July 7.
Kitami Wakamatsu, Hokkaido
A brown bear was captured during a patrol by the local hunters' association.
Hamatonbetsu Kanegaoka, Hokkaido
A local contractor witnessed a brown bear crossing the town road from north to south while working.
Hamatonbetsu Chuo-kita, Hokkaido
A local hunters' association captured a brown bear that had been appearing in a pasture during a patrol.
Hamatonbetsu Toyokanbetsu, Hokkaido
trace evidence
Kitami, Hokkaido
Around 7:55 PM on 2026-07-05, one bear was sighted in Hama-Sarufutsu, Sarufutsu Village, Hokkaido.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Around 11:30 on 2026-07-05, a bear was sighted in Ashino, Sapporo?
Sarufutsu Ashino, Hokkaido
Sighted on the road leading from Esanuka Line toward the former airfield. Fled toward the sea.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
[No.23] July 5, 2026: Time: 17:45 Location: Wakkanai City, Oaza Koyabe Village, Aza Eboku Details: Brown bear sighted
Wakkanai 声問村, Hokkaido
Approximately 1.5 km from Niodorogawa Bridge on National Route 238, heading toward the Hama-Sarufutsu area
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Dodo Sarufutsu-Onishibetsu Line, near Kimoma Marsh
Sarufutsu Ashino, Hokkaido
Around 7:00, sighted
Monbetsu Kamishokotsu-cho Nakashokotsu, Hokkaido
Around 12:00, sighting
Monbetsu Kamishokotsu-cho Nakashokotsu, Hokkaido
A bear was sighted in Wakamatsu, Kitami City, on 2026-07-03 around 19:25.
Kitami Wakamatsu, Hokkaido
On Dodo Sarufutsu Onishibetsu Line, 600 m from Tenpoku Sarukotsu Bridge toward the Onishibetsu area
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
[No.22] July 2, 2026: Time: 19:30 Location: Wakkanai City, Oaza Koetoi-mura, Azamekuma Incident: Brown bear sighting
Wakkanai 声問村, Hokkaido
No. 16 Captured in Shinkocho area (June 30, Reiwa 8) Around 6:30 PM, captured about 700 meters east of Esashi Town Water Treatment Plant.
Esashi Shinkocho, Hokkaido
13:45, number of bears unknown, sighted
Monbetsu Shokotsu-cho, Hokkaido
No.17 Sighting toward Monmaki (R8.7.1) Around 4:40 PM, sighted about 2 km from the Senjojiiwa Campground entrance in the direction of Monmaki.
Esashi, Hokkaido
12:50, one bear sighted
Monbetsu Shokotsu-cho Kawamukai, Hokkaido
A bear is crossing the road.
Sarufutsu, Hokkaido
Peak activity at 10:00 with 3 incidents
Ursus arctos yesoensis
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, 56 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 8 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Esashi Minamihamacho, Hokkaido.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 10:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 298 km route runs from Kitami to Wakkanai within Hokkaido. In the past 30 days, 56 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 8 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Esashi Minamihamacho, Hokkaido. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
