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This 233 km route runs from Miyoshino Shrine to Hakuba, passing through Saitama, Nagano, and Gunma. In the past 30 days, 53 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Nagano Shinonoi-Ishikawa, Nagano.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
4 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Saitama, Nagano, Gunma.
Size: adult (fully grown)
Nagano Shinonoi-Ishikawa, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Ogawa 桐山, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ueda, Nagano
Around 2:30 PM on 2026-08-05, one bear was sighted in Shinonoi Ishikawa, Nagano City.
Nagano Shinonoi-Ishikawa, Nagano
Annaka 上後閑, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Kamigokan, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, on 2026-08-01.
Annaka 上後閑, Gunma
Size: adult and cub
Sakaki Minamijo, Nagano
Around 1:00 on July 31, a bear was sighted in Niibori, Matsuida-machi, Annaka City.
Annaka 松井田町新堀, Gunma
Annaka 松井田町新堀, Gunma
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町二軒在家, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Matsuidamachi Matsuida, Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, around 12:45 on July 30.
Annaka 松井田町松井田, Gunma
Size: Unknown
Ogawa 桐山, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Hakuba, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町人見, Gunma
Size: Adult
Ogawa Oneyama, Nagano
A juvenile bear about 1 meter long was spotted along Prefectural Route 43 (Momiji Line) of the Karuizawa–Shimonita route. The mother bear could not be found, but is believed to be hiding nearby.
Shimonita, Gunma
Size: adult (fully grown)
Sakaki, Nagano
Size: adult with cub(s)
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Sakaki, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Goryo, Matsuidamachi, Annaka City around 8:00 on 2026-07-27.
Annaka, Gunma
Annaka, Gunma
A bear was sighted in Kamishiro, Hakuba Village, around 1:00 PM on July 27.
Hakuba Kamishiro, Nagano
Size: adult
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: adult
Ogawa Oneyama, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町土塩, Gunma
Around 8:20 AM on 2026-07-24, one bear was sighted in Hatachi, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture.
Karuizawa 大字発地, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字発地, Nagano
Size: Adult
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: adult (full-grown)
Hakuba, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Mogusa, Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture, around 7:15 a.m. on July 21.
Karuizawa 大字茂沢, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Ōmachi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字茂沢, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町行田, Gunma
One bear was seen moving in Matsuida-cho Gyoda, Annaka City, Gunma.
Annaka 松井田町行田, Gunma
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: adult with cub(s)
Nagano Shinonoi-Utabi, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Ueda, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Ueda, Nagano
Around 5:05 on July 16, a bear was sighted in Hokujo, Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture.
Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano
Size: Adult
Ueda 真田町傍陽, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Karuizawa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nagano Shobu-ko, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Ōmachi 中ノ関, Nagano
Around 9:30 on July 13, a bear was sighted in Togura, Chikuma City, Nagano, and was captured.
Chikuma Togura, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Chikuma Togura, Nagano
I was riding a motorcycle on a tour, and it was just at the spot where the guardrail goes into the mountain, so I didn't take any photos and the location is not exact. I was heading west and report an approximate location based on my memory that it was a left-hand curve a little past the Megane Bridge parking area, at a place with a white guardrail.
Annaka, Gunma
Around 13:10 on 2026-07-10, a bear was sighted in Shiga, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture.
Saku, Nagano
On 2026-07-10 in Shinkoda, Saku City, Nagano, a bear was sighted.
Saku Arakoda, Nagano
Peak activity at 8:00 with 3 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
Safety picks and trail essentials, top-rated on Amazon and Rakuten.
For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
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In the past 30 days, 53 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Nagano Shinonoi-Ishikawa, Nagano.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 8:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 233 km route runs from Miyoshino Shrine to Hakuba, passing through Saitama, Nagano, and Gunma. In the past 30 days, 53 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 5 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Nagano Shinonoi-Ishikawa, Nagano. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
