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This 88 km route runs from Morioka Castle to Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land within Iwate. In the past 30 days, 74 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them. The latest sighting was reported 17 hours ago near Kitakami Machibun, Iwate.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
A resident spotted one bear in a residential area of Tokiwadai 2-chome, Kitakami City.
Kitakami Machibun, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Sakuradai 2-chome, Morioka City.
Morioka, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Waga-cho Iwasaki 27-chiwari, Kitakami City, around 6:50 a.m. on July 5.
Kitakami Wagacho-Iwasaki, Iwate
At around 06:45 on July 5, one bear was seen moving in Waga-cho Iwasaki 30-chiwari, Kitakami.
Kitakami Wagacho-Iwasaki, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Iito 19-ku, Kitakami City.
Kitakami Iitoyo, Iwate
One cub was sighted on a city road in Nakano 1-chome, Morioka.
Morioka Higashinakano, Iwate
Around 5:30 PM on June 30, a bear was sighted in Kita-terabayashi 2-chome, Ishidoriya-cho, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Ishidoriyacho-Daikoji, Iwate
A large tree was knocked down. I think it was a bear.
Morioka, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Esashi Yoka-machi, Oshu City.
Ōshū 江刺愛宕, Iwate
On 2026-06-29 in Inasecho Iwawaki, Kitakami City, one bear was seen moving.
Kitakami Inasecho, Iwate
Bear tracks confirmed in the fields around the house
Morioka, Iwate
One bear was sighted in Kuroishino 3-chome, Morioka City.
Morioka Shimokuriyagawa, Iwate
One bear was seen moving in Nikocho Kanisawa, Kitakami City.
Kitakami Kotorizaki, Iwate
I saw a young bear near a roadside station under construction, not far from Shibutami Nursery School.
Morioka, Iwate
A bear about 60 cm was sighted near Jokoji Temple. It ran off into the mountains.
Morioka Higashianiwa, Iwate
Traces of a bear were found at a beekeeping farm near the residence
Morioka Kado, Iwate
Around 1:00 PM on June 28, a bear was seen moving in Waga-cho Goto 10-chiwari, Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture.
Kitakami Wagacho-Goto, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Higashi-Anba 3-chome, Morioka City, around 09:05 on June 28.
Morioka Higashianiwa, Iwate
Around 12:09 on 2026-06-27, one adult bear was seen by a passerby in a residential area of Ueda, Morioka City, Iwate. The bear left to the east, and no damage to people or property was confirmed.
Morioka, Iwate
There was what appeared to be bear droppings on the premises.
Morioka Senbokucho, Iwate
A schoolchild spotted three bears (one adult and two cubs) wandering in Hachimancho, Morioka City.
Morioka Higashinakano, Iwate
Found one young bear in the field.
Morioka Higashinakano, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Maesawa Komizu, Oshu City.
Ōshū Maesawa, Iwate
Three bears (one adult, two cubs) observed
Morioka, Iwate
Spotted one young bear near a house.
Morioka, Iwate
Heard a bear making noises around the baseball field.
Morioka Momijigaoka, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Shimonokawara Shijūda, Morioka City.
Morioka Shimokuriyagawa, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Yumoto 12-chome, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Yumoto, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Kutsukawa 1-chome, Morioka City.
Morioka Shimokuriyagawa, Iwate
Around 10:40 on June 21, a bear was sighted in Yumoto 7-chiwari, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Ohata, Iwate
At around 7:06 PM on 2026-06-20, a bear was seen moving in Waga-cho Iwasakishinden 10-chiwari, Kitakami City.
Kitakami Wagacho-Iwasakishinden, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Kamineko Hōzen, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Nishihareyama, Iwate
One bear, believed to be a cub, was sighted on the road in front of Shiroito Machinami Exchange Hall in Nishineurakoji, Kanegasaki Town, Iwate, and crossed Route Esashi-Kanegasaki from north to south.
Kanegasaki, Iwate
One bear was sighted in Higashi-Senboku 2-chome, Morioka City.
Morioka Higashianiwa, Iwate
In Hachimancho, Morioka City, a schoolchild spotted one bear roaming around.
Morioka Higashinakano, Iwate
One adult bear (or bear-like animal) sighted
Morioka Otobe, Iwate
Around 5:10 PM on 2026-06-17, a bear was sighted in Takagi 20-chiwari, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture.
Hanamaki Takaki, Iwate
Found large bear footprints.
Morioka Otobe, Iwate
The spot where a culled sika deer was buried has been dug up and the carcass taken. There are drag marks nearby, as well as bear tracks and droppings.
Morioka Otobe, Iwate
One bear sighted near the home's garage
Morioka, Iwate
One bear was sighted on the opposite side across the Neda Shigekawa (Nedashigekawa) River.
Morioka, Iwate
Empty honey boxes and the place where hive frames were stored were ransacked.
Morioka Otobe, Iwate
Bear droppings are on the road. There are also bear tracks nearby.
Morioka, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Mizukoshi, Inasecho, Kitakami City, around 5:15 a.m. on June 15.
Kitakami Inasecho, Iwate
Observed one adult bear entering northwest into the woods from the area near Kinugawa Junior High School.
Ōshū 衣川古戸, Iwate
The beehive box at the apiary beside the house was knocked over, and one hive frame was damaged.
Morioka Haba, Iwate
On National Route 456 heading from Esashi toward Daitō, observed one adult (bear) moving from right to left across the road.
Ōshū 江刺岩谷堂, Iwate
One bear sighted in the hot spring facility's parking lot
Morioka Kagano, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Kaminai Nooto, Morioka City, around 16:20 on 2026-06-12.
Morioka Shimoyonai, Iwate
On 2026-06-12 around 09:35, a bear was sighted moving in Kamionikiyanagi 2-chiwari, Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture.
Kitakami Kamioniyanagi, Iwate
Bear tracks were found in the rice field east of the road east of Higashimizusawa Junior High School.
Ōshū 水沢佐倉河, Iwate
I sighted a mother bear and her cubs on the premises.
Morioka Shimoyonai, Iwate
The field's mulch was torn, and there were footprints. The compost was disturbed.
Morioka Nagai, Iwate
Around 10:05 on 2026-06-11, one bear was sighted in Maesawa Ropponmatsu, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture.
Ōshū 衣川日向, Iwate
Bear scat believed to be present at the boundary between the soccer field and the ground golf course in Sakurazutsumi Park.
Ōshū 水沢佐倉河, Iwate
Around 5:10 AM on June 11, a bear was sighted in Nakaneko Nijūni Shinmei, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Nakaneko, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Yukuchi Hirabayashi, Hanamaki City, Iwate, around 13:05 on June 11.
Hanamaki Nishihareyama, Iwate
Around 8:00 on 2026-06-11, a bear was sighted in Isawa Koyama Harakawa, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture.
Ōshū, Iwate
Witnessed one adult bear entering the mountain to the south from the household premises.
Ōshū Maesawa, Iwate
Bear sighted in the Hidaka-nishi area. (Details unknown)
Ōshū 水沢, Iwate
Around 15:30 on 2026-06-10, a bear was sighted in Mizusawa Hidakanishi, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture.
Ōshū 水沢, Iwate
On 2026-06-10 around 14:50, a bear was sighted moving in Oniyanagicho Todori, Kitakami, Iwate.
Kitakami Oniyanagicho, Iwate
Apples stored in a shed used for farm work and storage had been eaten/raided. Also, there were numerous droppings believed to be from a bear both inside and outside the shed.
Morioka Yamagishi, Iwate
Observed one bear moving north on the road west of the pharmacy.
Ōshū Mizusawa-Miyashitacho, Iwate
A single bear cub was seen moving eastward along the bank of the Yonai River in Nodō, Morioka City.
Morioka Shimoyonai, Iwate
Near the apple orchard, sighted one adult bear and two cubs.
Morioka Yamagishi, Iwate
A bear was sighted moving in Fujisawa 15-chiwari, Kitakami City, around 04:07 on 2026-06-10.
Kitakami Ryutsu-center, Iwate
At a residential lot in Kurokawa, Morioka City, a rice-polishing machine and a wooden box in a work shed were found damaged, believed to be caused by a bear.
Morioka Kurokawa, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Mizusawa Ohatajikoji, Oshu City, around 10:05 on June 10.
Ōshū Mizusawa-Miyashitacho, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Kamiyonai Matsukihira, Morioka City, around 9:00 AM on June 10.
Morioka Yamagishi, Iwate
Observed one adult bear entering the woods near Shimoodaibukuro Bridge.
Ōshū 衣川古戸, Iwate
While working in a rice field, the reporter spotted one medium-sized bear on the lower slope of the nearby mountain. They scared it off with a rocket firework, and it fled up the mountain.
Morioka Kagano, Iwate
A bear was sighted in Ishidoriya-cho Kuronuma 8-chiwari, Hanamaki City.
Hanamaki Ishidoriyacho-Kuronuma, Iwate
A single young bear was sighted near the parking lot reserved for staff of the Handmade Village.
Morioka Yuzawa, Iwate
Peak activity at 16:00 with 8 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
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In the past 30 days, 74 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 17 hours ago near Kitakami Machibun, Iwate.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 16:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 88 km route runs from Morioka Castle to Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land within Iwate. In the past 30 days, 74 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them. The latest sighting was reported 17 hours ago near Kitakami Machibun, Iwate. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
