This 61.5 km route from Kotodai Park to Yamagata Museum of Art crosses Miyagi and Yamagata. Over the past 30 days, 48 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 13 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 Sendai Masue, Miyagi; the location sits about 459 m from the start of the route and 3.1 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 3 weeks ago at Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi, sitting about 1.3 km from the start and 101 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
6 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Miyagi, Yamagata.
Around 00:00 on May 15, 2026, a man driving in Masue, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, called 110 after approaching a dark mass and discovering it was a bear. According to the Sendai East Police, a single bear about 1.5 meters long left toward woods to the north and east; there were no injuries.
Sendai Masue, Miyagi
Around 13:00 on the 14th, a staff member at Tohoku High School in Komatsushima 4-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai, reported a bear in a grove on the school grounds to emergency services. The city and Sendai North Police are responding, believing the bear remains in the grove, and have urged caution at nearby schools and the university.
Sendai Komatsu-Shintsutsumi, Miyagi
Around 13:00 on May 14, 2026, a student spotted a bear about 50 meters away in the grove on the grounds of Tohoku High School in Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai. The school ordered a mass dismissal, and police warned that bears had also appeared in the area on May 11.
Sendai Dainohara-shinrinkoen, Miyagi
In the early hours of the 14th, one bear was spotted on the street near Sendai City Sakuragaoka Elementary School in Aoba Ward, Sendai. The school implemented measures such as group dismissal. According to police, the sighting occurred before 3:30 a.m. on the 14th.
Sendai Takimichi, Miyagi
At around 03:25 on the 14th, a bear about 1 meter long was seen climbing over the fence from the road into the grounds of Sakuraoka Elementary School in Sakuraoka 8-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. There were no injuries and no further sightings; the school decided not to use the playground and to send pupils home in groups, and police warned residents to be cautious.
Sendai Takimichi, Miyagi
In Sendai's Aoba Ward (Sakuragaoka 8-chome), at around 03:25 on the 14th a female newspaper delivery worker spotted a bear about 1 meter long. At 09:20 a man also saw a similar-sized bear on a promenade in Mizu no Mori Park; nearby schools and a nursery implemented group dismissals or halted outdoor activities, and there were no injuries.
Sendai Takimichi, Miyagi
Around 2:00 a.m. on the 13th, two bears were sighted in front of Tohoku University Aobayama Campus in Aramaki Aoba, Aoba Ward, Sendai. A student reported it to the university, which notified the police in the afternoon; there were no injuries.
Sendai Aramaki, Miyagi
Around 02:00 on the 13th, a Tohoku University student in Aramaki Aoba, Aoba Ward, Sendai, called 110 reporting a cub and an adult bear in the bushes; the two bears fled into the bushes. The Sendai Central Police Station has urged caution in the area.
Sendai Aramaki, Miyagi
At around 20:35 on the 12th, a driver spotted one bear crossing a road from east to west near a pond in Taihaku 2-chome, Taihaku Ward, Sendai. The bear left the area; there are childcare facilities and houses nearby, and police are patrolling and standing by.
Sendai Hagigaoka, Miyagi
Around 13:40 on May 11, 2026, a passerby spotted a single bear about 1 meter long walking in the bamboo thicket near Komatsushima Park in Aoba Ward, Sendai, and called emergency services. The Sendai North Police are urging caution near nearby facilities including Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University and Tohoku High School.
Sendai Komatsu-Shintsutsumi, Miyagi
At around 06:40 on May 11 in the riverside area of Hirose River near Kokusai Center Station (under the subway Tozai Line) in Aoba Ward, Sendai, a man walking his dog reported seeing two bears—believed to be a parent and cub—about 1.5 m and 0.8 m long. The bears left the scene; police patrolled for about an hour and no further sightings were reported.
Sendai Aobayama, Miyagi
At around 06:30 on the 11th, two bears believed to be a parent and cub were sighted on the banks of the Hirose River beside Nishi Park in Aoba Ward, Sendai. After 13:30 another bear was seen in a bamboo grove at a park in Komatsushima 4-chome; police and Sendai City are patrolling and have issued warnings to nearby schools and the university. The man who reported the sighting was not injured.
Sendai Sakuragaoka-koen, Miyagi
Around 15:30 on the 10th, a motorist passing on Prefectural Route 55 in Imozawa Ootakehara, Aoba Ward, Sendai, spotted a bear about 50 cm long and called emergency services. The bear left the road and entered the bushes; police are patrolling the area and advising caution.
Sendai Shimo-Ayashi, Miyagi
On the morning of May 8 a bear about 1 meter long was sighted on a road in Takano-hara 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. A report came in around 08:30, police monitored the area and spotted one bear around 09:20, which quickly entered the bushes.
Sendai Imozawa, Miyagi
Around 22:00 on May 6, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted near the intersection of the Sendai North Ring Road (Sendai Kita Kanjosen) at Kamiyatagari-Tatewaki, Izumi Ward, Sendai; it left toward the bushes. Police patrolled the area but did not find it afterward, and Izumitakeyama High School notified parents to be cautious by email.
Sendai Chomeigaoka-higashi, Miyagi
Around 22:00 on May 6, 2026, a female driver spotted a single bear about 1 meter long on a prefectural road in Kamitayagari, Izumi Ward, Sendai. The bear crossed a crosswalk at an intersection heading south and disappeared into nearby brush; police patrolled the area but received no further sightings.
Sendai Chomeigaoka-higashi, Miyagi
Around 17:35 on May 5, a resident spotted a bear about 1 meter long in a green strip in Nishikigaoka 9-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. At 22:30 a bear, possibly the same individual, was seen sitting in green space opposite the road near the Sendai City Observatory in Nishikigaoka 5-chome; in all cases the bear left and no damage was reported.
Sendai Kami-Ayashi, Miyagi
On May 5, 2026 at around 17:30, a man walking in green space in Nishikigaoka 9-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai, spotted a bear about 1 meter long. After police patrols failed to find it, at about 22:30 the same day a bear believed to be the same individual was seen again near the Sendai Observatory, and the police urged caution.
Sendai Kami-Ayashi, Miyagi
At around 17:30 on May 5, in a green area of Nishikigaoka 9-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai, a walker sighted a bear about 1 meter long. Police patrolled but did not find it; roughly five hours later a bear of similar size was seen about 600 meters to the south in another green area, after which it fled southwest and was not seen again. Police warned it may be the same individual.
Sendai Kami-Ayashi, Miyagi
At around 20:10 on May 4, 2026, a teenage woman returning home spotted a single bear about 1 meter long rummaging through a plastic bag on a road near Kitayama Station (JR Senzan Line) in Yamatecho, Aoba-ku, Sendai. Police arrived but the bear had already left; no injuries or damage have been reported.
Sendai Kikutamachi, Miyagi
At around 20:10 on the 4th, a bear rummaging through what looked like a plastic bag on a road in Yamatecho, Aoba Ward, Sendai was reported by a teenage woman. The bear, about 1 meter long, had already left when police arrived; no injuries or damages have been reported, and police are warning residents near Kita-Yama Station on the Senzan Line.
Sendai Yamatemachi, Miyagi
On 2026-04-30 at about 19:35, a roughly 1‑meter bear was sighted near the north side of Tate Elementary School in Sendai City's Izumi Ward and reported to police. Later that day, bears of about the same size were also reported in Izumi Ward's Misawa area at 20:10 and in Furunai at 20:15; no injuries or property damage were reported and police are patrolling the area.
Sendai 館, Miyagi
Around 19:30 on April 30, a single bear about 1 meter long was seen crossing the road on the north side of Tate Elementary School in Tate 7-chome, Izumi Ward, Sendai; it headed toward Tate Sakura Park and left the scene. There were no injuries or property damage. A sighting was also reported in the Tate area on April 23.
Sendai 館, Miyagi
At about 23:10 on April 29, 2026, a kei car driving south on a municipal road in Minaminakayama 5-chome, Izumi-ku, Sendai collided with a bear that ran out from the left. The bear, about 1.5 meters long, fled into shrubbery on the west side of the road after the collision; the driver, a man in his 50s, was uninjured but the vehicle's left front light was damaged. The bear's whereabouts are currently unknown.
Sendai 西中山, Miyagi
At around 13:40 on April 28, a report was made of a "bear-like" animal in a residential area of Tsurugaya 4-chome, Miyagino-ku, Sendai. According to the Sendai East Police Station, the animal was sighted about 300 meters northeast of Tsurugaya Kindergarten, and the station has urged caution in the surrounding area.
Sendai Jiyugaoka, Miyagi
At around 13:40 on the 28th, a 110 call reported seeing something like a bear in a residential area of Tsurugaya 4-chome, Miyagino Ward, Sendai. According to the Sendai East Police Station, the sighting occurred about 300 meters northeast of Tsurugaya Kindergarten, and the station is urging caution in the area.
Sendai Jiyugaoka, Miyagi
At 02:45 on April 28, 2026, a roughly 1-meter-long bear was seen walking on a road in a residential area near Taihaku Park, Taihaku 1-chome, Sendai; a passing motorist reported it to police. The bear left northward into the woods; there were no injuries and police patrolled the area but did not find it.
Sendai Sahoyama, Miyagi
On 2026-04-28, one bear was sighted near Tsurukaya Kindergarten in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.
Sendai Jiyugaoka, Miyagi
On 2026-04-27 at around 16:45, a male elementary-school student returning home saw a bear climbing a tree in woodland north of Izumi High Support School in Anyoji 2-chome, Miyagino Ward, Sendai, and a guardian called 110. The Sendai East Police are warning local residents and schools; the bear is about 1 meter long and may be the same individual reported in earlier sightings.
Sendai Masue, Miyagi
At around 19:30 on the 23rd, a bear about 1 meter long appeared in front of a man riding a bicycle on a municipal road in Tate 1-chome, Izumi Ward, Sendai, and then entered the woods. Tohoku High School's Izumi campus and Tate Elementary School sent mass emails to parents to warn them, and the police are urging residents to be cautious.
Sendai 館, Miyagi
At around 19:30 on April 23, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in front of the Sendai City Waterworks Yakata pumping station in Yakata, Izumi Ward, Sendai. A man on a bicycle saw the bear up close; it then fled south into the woods and police patrolled the area and warned residents.
Sendai 西中山, Miyagi
At around 09:20 on April 22, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in a residential area in Goro-roku, Aoba Ward, Sendai, and moved north. Police patrolled the area and issued warnings, and there have been no further sightings.
Sendai Goroku, Miyagi
A bear that appeared in Kicho-dori 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai City was captured by the city using emergency shooting. The city received a total of 12 opinions regarding that decision, including protests such as "do not cull"; 5 were negative from an animal welfare perspective, 2 supported prompt removal, and 5 were comments on bear-countermeasure policies.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
A single adult male bear (about 1.5 m long, 125 kg) remained in the shrubbery behind an apartment building in Kichōdori 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. Contractors fired two darts with a tranquilizer gun in the early evening, and the bear was captured (and subsequently euthanized) around 19:30. No injuries were reported.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
A single bear, believed to be the same individual sighted since the night of the 18th, remained in vegetation in Sendai's Aoba-ku, Kimachidori 2-chome from early on the 19th and, after staying for more than ten hours, was culled by an emergency shooting around 18:30 on April 19. The appearance in the city center shocked residents and prompted concern and precautions from nearby schools.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
An adult male bear about 1.5 m long and 125 kg remained for over 10 hours in vegetation behind an apartment in central Sendai (Aoba-ku, Kichomachi-dori). The city fired two tranquilizer darts after 18:20 to sedate it and then euthanized it with an electric shock; there were no injuries.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
On April 19, 2026, an adult male bear about 1.5 m long and weighing approximately 125 kg stayed for over 10 hours at a condominium in Komachidori 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. The city tried to capture it using a box trap but failed; shortly after 18:20 a contractor fired two darting shots that hit, and the bear was subsequently euthanized with an electric prod; there were no injuries reported.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
In Yamagata City, a 60-year-old woman taking part in bear extermination operations slipped and fell several dozen meters, suffering serious injuries including broken ribs. Because of sunset she could not descend and waited overnight; she was rescued the next morning by a fire department disaster-prevention helicopter.
Yamagata Tokamachi 1-chome, Yamagata
There was a rustling sound, and when I looked at the bushes it was a bear about one meter tall. (Around the junction)
Sendai Yamada-jiyugaoka, Miyagi
On April 19 in a residential area of Aoba Ward, Sendai, one adult bear about 1.5 m long was sighted and was removed under the city's "emergency shooting" system. The bear stayed on condominium grounds for about 10 hours; a box trap failed, so authorities used a dart gun and an electric spear to dispatch it. No injuries were reported.
Sendai Mukaida, Miyagi
A single bear about 1.5 m long remained for an extended period in the shrubs on the grounds of an apartment in Kimachidori 2-chome, Aoba-ku, Sendai. Police set up cordons and maintained surveillance while the city installed a box trap to capture the bear; no injuries have been reported.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
A single male bear was sighted near an apartment in Kimachidori 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. After drone confirmation and attempts with a cage trap, two anesthetic darts were fired shortly after 18:20 and the bear was captured around 19:30. It measured about 1.5 m and weighed about 125 kg; no injuries were reported.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
One bear that had been staying in a residential area in central Sendai was culled by emergency shooting. The measure was carried out about 14 hours after the report, and sightings around the area had been reported since the night of the 18th. No human injuries were reported.
Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi
Around 23:00 on April 18, a single bear about 1.5 meters long was spotted by several passersby on a city road in Tōrimachi 2-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai, and reported to police. Multiple nearby sightings were reported; the bear was believed to have left toward the Kashiwagi area or west, and police increased patrols and warned residents.
Sendai 通町, Miyagi
At around 07:50 on April 18, a walking man reported a bear climbing a fence near the second athletic ground of Sendai Third High School in Miyagino Ward, Sendai; the bear was about 70 cm long and was seen on the east-side fence. No one was on the ground and there were no injuries; police have stepped up patrols, including in Aoba Ward where four sightings were reported between the night of the 17th and the morning of the 18th.
Sendai Masue, Miyagi
was climbing the fence of Sendai Third High School’s second ground
Sendai Tsubamesawa, Miyagi
On April 18, 2026 at around 07:20, a passerby spotted and reported one bear near the No.2 athletic ground of Sendai Third High School in Anyouji 3-chome, Miyagino-ku, Sendai; the animal was estimated at about 70–80 cm in length. There were no injuries; police say multiple sightings across the city from the night of April 17 to the morning of April 18 may involve the same individual and have stepped up patrols and warnings.
Sendai Masue, Miyagi
At around 20:45 on April 17, 2026, a bear was reported on a road in Kunimi 1-chome, Aoba Ward, Sendai. The bear was about 1.5 m long and bear droppings were found nearby; the same individual was later seen around midnight on April 18 near nearby houses and on the grounds of a Tohoku University dormitory, and at 05:35 a.m. on a city road about 100 m west of Kita-Sendai Station. Police are patrolling and searching for the bear.
Sendai Chiyodamachi, Miyagi
Peak activity at 13:00 with 6 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 48 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 13 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 Sendai Masue, Miyagi; the location sits about 459 m from the start of the route and 3.1 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 13:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 61.5 km route from Kotodai Park to Yamagata Museum of Art crosses Miyagi and Yamagata. Over the past 30 days, 48 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 13 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 Sendai Masue, Miyagi; the location sits about 459 m from the start of the route and 3.1 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 3 weeks ago at Sendai Futsukamachi, Miyagi, sitting about 1.3 km from the start and 101 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
