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This 321 km route runs from Minamiuonuma to Kaneyama, passing through Niigata and Yamagata. In the past 30 days, 58 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 Shibata, Niigata.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
1 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Niigata, Yamagata.
Around 05:15 on 2026-08-07, a bear was sighted in Fujitsukahama, Shibata City.
Shibata, Niigata
Environment: Road / Size: Juvenile
Sakegawa Niwazuki, Yamagata
Bear droppings were found near the 5th station of the Dairiki Mountain trail.
Uonuma, Niigata
A bear approximately 1.0 m in body length was sighted about 100 m southwest of Kamishimizu Community Center. Its subsequent whereabouts are unknown. / Environment: Near houses / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 上清水, Yamagata
On the night of 2026-08-04, one bear about 0.5 m long was sighted on a city road in Komachi, Murakami City, near Murakami Elementary School.
Murakami, Niigata
Environment: Road / Size: Adult
Sakegawa, Yamagata
Sighted a bear about 1.0 m in body length descending from the Nakayama direction toward the Yabiki direction. Subsequent whereabouts unknown. / Environment: Near houses / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 矢引, Yamagata
A sighting of one bear cub near the exit of the Jinmen Tunnel on National Route 290
Nagaoka, Niigata
Sighted one bear approximately 1 meter in size.
Niigata, Niigata
One bear sighted near the intersection of Prefectural Route Kamishio-Tochio Line and the Prefectural Agricultural Road Ookura Line.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Observed one bear-like individual (size unknown).
Niigata, Niigata
Environment: Agricultural land / Size: Adult
Tozawa Matsuzaka, Yamagata
Spotted one bear while passing through the area.
Tainai, Niigata
One bear was sighted in Miyase, Tainai City, Niigata, crossing a road and entering a nearby rice paddy.
Tainai, Niigata
Around 23:30 on 2026-07-31, a bear was sighted in Takitani-machi, Akiha Ward, Niigata City.
Niigata, Niigata
On 2026-07-30 at night, one bear was sighted in Komagiharamachi, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Tsuruoka 日枝, Yamagata
A bear-like figure about 1.5 m in body length was sighted at Komakihara Sports Park (near the sumo ring). Its subsequent whereabouts are unknown. / Environment: near houses / Size: adult
Tsuruoka 日枝, Yamagata
Discovered the paw prints of a cub of unknown body length.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Observed one bear while driving on National Route 351. It moved east.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Around 6:00 on July 25, a bear was spotted moving in Sangawa, Murakami City.
Murakami, Niigata
Environment: Near human dwellings / Size: Adult
Shōnai 狩川, Yamagata
Environment: Near houses / Size: Adult
Shōnai 狩川, Yamagata
Witnessed one bear (about 1 m) in the temporary parking lot of the Shibazakura Park. It then moved north.
Uonuma, Niigata
Observed one bear approximately 80 cm in body length on Prefectural Route Mitsuke-Tochio (near Nirehara Tunnel). It moved north.
Mitsuke, Niigata
While driving on a farm road, a single cub was sighted.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Around 19:05 on 2026-07-21, one bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Suhara, Uonuma City, Niigata.
Uonuma, Niigata
One bear sighted. Moving north.
Uonuma, Niigata
Spotted a bear about 50 centimeters in body length. Direction of travel unknown.
Uonuma, Niigata
At around 17:35 on July 21, one bear cub was seen in Mushino, Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture.
Uonuma, Niigata
Near a cornfield / Environment: Around human residences / Size: Adult
Mamurogawa Kinoshita, Yamagata
Environment: riverbed / Size: juvenile
Sakata 成興野, Yamagata
Environment: Forest / Size: Adult
Shinjo Odashima, Yamagata
Takada / Environment: Forest / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 金沢, Yamagata
A single cub (size unknown) was sighted near Dainichizaka Tunnel. Its subsequent whereabouts are unknown. / Environment: forest / Size: juvenile
Tsuruoka 田川, Yamagata
Bear tracks (footprints) were found in a field near a cemetery.
Sanjo, Niigata
Bear-like tracks were found in Kagotoge, Sanjo City, Niigata.
Sanjo, Niigata
While driving on National Route 290, I spotted one cub. It moved northwest.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Discovered bear tracks of unknown body length in a rice paddy.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Haguro government office: One bear sighted near Haguro Middle School. It fled toward the west. / Environment: Near residential area / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 羽黒町野荒町, Yamagata
A single bear (body length unknown) was sighted within the Yama-Iso River area near the Atsumi government office. / Environment: Within a shrine precinct / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 山五十川, Yamagata
Sighted an animal believed to be a bear in the riverside thicket. Direction of movement unknown.
Uonuma, Niigata
At around 6:00 on 2026-07-16, one bear was sighted in a shrine precinct in Yamakogawa, Tsuruoka City.
Tsuruoka 山五十川, Yamagata
Haguro government office: One bear was observed moving from rice fields near Haguro Junior High School toward Hachiman Shrine. / Environment: Near residential area / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 羽黒町野田, Yamagata
Near Nadakahashi / Environment: Around residential houses / Size: Adult
Tozawa Nadaka, Yamagata
Tracks of a bear cub (footprints) were found in a field near a private residence.
Sanjo, Niigata
I sighted one bear about 1 m in body length moving within the ski resort slopes.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Around 07:52 on 2026-07-12, one bear was seen moving in Takiya, Sanjo City, Niigata.
Sanjo, Niigata
A bear was sighted leaving the thicket on the left bank of the Igarashi River, crossing the river, and entering the mountains on the right bank.
Sanjo, Niigata
Haguro government office building: Bear sighted crossing the road / Environment: Near houses / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 羽黒町狩谷野目, Yamagata
Environment: riverbed / Size: adult (fully grown)
Tsuruoka 大宝寺, Yamagata
Crossed Fukuyama River and entered the brush. Subsequent whereabouts unknown.
Uonuma, Niigata
Around 4:30 PM on July 11, a bear was sighted in Daiboji, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Tsuruoka 大宝寺, Yamagata
One bear sighted. Direction of travel unknown.
Niigata, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Asahi, Akiba Ward, Niigata City, around 07:30 on July 11.
Niigata, Niigata
One bear (about 1 m) was sighted near the Mabime Bridge (Tsuruoka City side) near the bridge. It entered brush near a field. Exact location unknown. / Environment: riverbed / Size: juvenile
Tsuruoka, Yamagata
Witnessed a bear heading south along the riverbank. / Environment: riverbank / Size: juvenile
Mikawa 大字横山, Yamagata
There were footprints in the rice field. Sightings were also reported nearby on 7/7 and 7/8. The estimated date and time are unknown.
Murakami, Niigata
One bear (body length 1.0 m) was sighted near the old Aburato Tunnel (seaside exit). Its subsequent whereabouts are unknown. / Environment: Road / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 油戸, Yamagata
Peak activity at 7:00 with 5 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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In the past 30 days, 58 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 Shibata, Niigata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 321 km route runs from Minamiuonuma to Kaneyama, passing through Niigata and Yamagata. In the past 30 days, 58 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 Shibata, Niigata. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
