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This 329 km route runs from Narashino to Lake Hibara, passing through Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Tokyo. In the past 30 days, 53 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 2 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Tamura, Fukushima.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
9 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo.
A bear was sighted in Hirose-Hanmonba, Takine-machi, Tamura City around 12:50 on July 10.
Tamura, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Tsuboyo Minamihama, Inawashiro Town, Fukushima, around 09:30 on July 6.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
On Thursday, July 2 at approximately 11:25 a.m., near the 98.2-kilometer post on the outbound (up) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Katada, Inawashiro Town, a driver in his 40s observed a single bear (about 1 m in length) crossing the highway from the north side to the south side (toward the center of the road) while traveling on the outbound Ban-etsu Expressway (toward Iwaki). When the witness’s vehicle approached, the bear left toward the north side of the road.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 30 at around 7:00 p.m., on National Route 49 in Azosawa, Tamagawa, Atami-machi, Kōriyama City, a witness driving observed one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) crossing National Route 49 from east to west. The direction in which it left afterward is unknown.
Koriyama, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 30 at about 2:10 p.m., on a municipal road in Miyakita, Iwane, Inawashiro Town, a witness (male in his 60s) was driving west on the road when he saw one bear (about 1.2 m in length) cross the road and walk off into rice paddies to the south.
Inawashiro 大字磐根, Fukushima
On Monday, June 29 at about 5:30 p.m., in the Shukkan-uchi area of Haruyama, Funabiki Town, Tamura City, a male witness in a field, while driving nearby, observed one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) moving south.
Tamura Funehikimachi-Haruyama, Fukushima
On Monday, June 29 at around 11:20 a.m., near 312-1 Maeda Ko, Chiyoda, Inawashiro Town, south of Inawashiro Town Dai-ni Elementary School, a witness (female in her 50s), while on duty on the elementary school premises, sighted one bear (body length unknown) near the south side of the school. The bear later departed to the south.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
It was lumbering along through the field. When it noticed us, it ran toward the road.
Inawashiro 大字千代田, Fukushima
Around 10:17 a.m. on Monday, June 29, a witness driving a train in the area west of the former Nakayama-shuku station, Jōnōwaki, Nakayama, Atami-machi, Kōriyama City, saw one bear (about 50 cm in body length) appear from the trackbed south side and then turn back to the south. The subsequent direction in which the bear departed is unknown.
Koriyama 熱海町安子島, Fukushima
One bear was seen moving in Haruyama, Funhiki-machi, Tamura City.
Tamura Funehikimachi-Haruyama, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 28 at approximately 9:50 a.m., on the Joban Nakoso Line (major prefectural road) in Tsukada, Hiruno, Watanabe-machi, Iwaki City, a witness (a woman in her 20s) driving near the sighting location observed one bear (about 1 meter in body length) near the rice fields beside the road.
Iwaki 中部工業団地, Fukushima
Around 09:50 on 2026-06-28, a bear was sighted in Watanabe-cho Hiruno, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.
Iwaki 渡辺町昼野, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 25 at around 10:40 a.m., in the Kurateyama area of Akojima, Atami-machi, Kōriyama City, on National Route 49, a witness driving a vehicle saw one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) crossing National Route 49 from south to north. Its subsequent direction of departure is unknown.
Koriyama, Fukushima
On Wednesday, June 24 at around 10:00 p.m., on a road within the Iwaki City Yoshima Industrial Park, a witness (male in his 20s) while driving saw one bear (about 1.5 m in length) cross the road from south to north ahead of his vehicle. The bear’s subsequent movements are unknown.
Iwaki 好間工業団地, Fukushima
In Yoshima Industrial Park, Iwaki City, a man driving a vehicle saw one bear.
Iwaki 好間工業団地, Fukushima
On Wednesday, June 24 at approximately 6:40 p.m., in the Koyama area of Iwane, Motomiya City, a nearby resident spotted two bears walking through a field (one about 1 m in length, the other about 50 cm). The bears subsequently left on foot toward the forested area to the north.
Motomiya 岩根, Fukushima
On Wednesday, June 24 at about 2:30 p.m., at 1157 Minamiorenzawayama, Hibara, Kitashiobara Village (on the road southeast of Michi-no-Eki Urabandai), a witness (age unknown, female) observed one bear (approx. 1 m in body length) crossing the national road from west to east. The subsequent whereabouts of the bear are unknown.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 23 at around 6:25 p.m., on a town road in the Shioniwa area of Ono Town, a female witness driving north on the road saw one animal believed to be a bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road from east to west. The animal then ran off toward the mountains to the west.
Ono Shioniwa, Fukushima
An animal believed to be a bear crossed a town road in Shio-niwa.
Ono Shioniwa, Fukushima
On Monday, June 22, at approximately 11:49 a.m., on the JR Ban'etsu West Line right-of-way within Goto, Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a train driver operating a train toward Aizuwakamatsu City collided with one bear (length unknown) that entered the right-of-way from the right. No injuries reported.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
On June 21 (Sunday) at approximately 6:10 PM, near the 95.6-kilometer post on the outbound (Niigata-bound) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Mochida, Kawageta, Inawashiro Town, a driver in his 40s observed a bear approximately 1 meter in body length on the south side of the road while traveling on the Ban-etsu Expressway outbound (toward Niigata). The bear’s movements after being sighted are unknown.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 21 at around 3:30 p.m., on the Banetsu West Line within Maeda, Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a train driver, while operating a train headed toward Aizuwakamatsu City, sighted one bear (approximately 50 cm in body length) on the track area. The bear then left into the woods on the west side.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
Around 15:30 on 2026-06-21 in Sekito Maeda, Inawashiro Town, a JR Ban'etsu West Line train driver saw one bear about 0.5 m long inside the track area while operating the train.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
A bear was sighted in Mitsuya, Inawashiro Town, Fukushima.
Inawashiro 字三ツ屋, Fukushima
On Saturday, June 20 at around 1:50 p.m., in the Yoshima Industrial Park area of Iwaki City, a witness (male in his 30s) observed, while driving, one animal believed to be a bear (approximately 1 meter in body length) crossing the road.
Iwaki 好間工業団地, Fukushima
One bear-like animal was seen crossing a road in the Yoshima Industrial Park area of Iwaki City.
Iwaki 好間工業団地, Fukushima
One bear was seen leaving the roadside for the mountains in Hayama, Inawashiro Town.
Inawashiro 字葉山, Fukushima
On Saturday, June 20 at approximately 6:40 a.m., in the Hayama area of Inawashiro Town, beside a municipal road, a witness (male in his 60s) traveling eastbound by vehicle on the road observed one bear (approximately 80 cm in body length) on the left roadside walking off into the northern woodland.
Inawashiro 字大沢, Fukushima
On Saturday, June 20 at approximately 5:20 a.m., in Mine-ne within Miyamachi, Uchigo, Iwaki City, a male witness driving a vehicle observed a bear (about 1 meter in body length) crossing the road and entering the mountains.
Iwaki 内郷宮町, Fukushima
One bear was seen crossing a road and entering the mountains in Mine, Uchigo-Miyamachi, Iwaki City.
Iwaki 内郷宮町, Fukushima
On Friday, June 19 at approximately 6:20 AM, in the Tsuchiyuzawa mountain area of Inawashiro Town on National Route 459, a witness traveling north on Route 459 in a vehicle observed one bear (about 50 cm in body length) crossing the road from east to west. Afterwards, the bear left and went into the forested area to the west.
Inawashiro 字上川上, Fukushima
In Inawashiro Town's Tsuchiyuzawa-yama, around 06:20, one bear measuring 0.5 m was crossing Route 459.
Inawashiro 字土湯沢山, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 18 at around 5:30 p.m., a bear about 1 meter long was sighted on the grounds of a resident’s home in Higashinakamura, Nagata, Inawashiro Town. The resident had been tending flowers in the garden when they spotted the bear on their property. The bear subsequently left, heading into the woods to the east.
Inawashiro 字堤西, Fukushima
Around 11:20 on 2026-06-18, one bear was sighted in Hibara, Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture.
Kitashiobara 大字桧原, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 18, at around 11:20 a.m., near Nakatsugawa Bridge in the Nakatsugawa Gorge on the Bandai-Azuma Lake Line (major prefectural road connecting Fukushima and Azuma, commonly called Bandai-Azuma Lake Line) in Wakamiyaza Azumayama Ko, Inawashiro Town, a witness (woman in her 50s) traveling eastbound by vehicle on the main road sighted a bear (approximately 70 cm in body length) crossing the road from north to south. The bear left on foot into the mountain forest south of the road.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
One bear (about 0.7 m long) was near the Nakatsugawa Gorge on the Bandai-Azuma Lake Line in Kitashiobara Village.
Kitashiobara, Fukushima
On Wednesday, June 17 at around 7:10 a.m., in Onago-Odakasakaimachi Onigoshi area, Iwaki City, a witness (male teenager) sighted one bear (body length 50 cm) walking in a nearby irrigation canal while he was walking. No human or property damage has been confirmed. There was one other similar report.
Iwaki 内郷御台境町, Fukushima
One bear about 0.5 m long was sighted walking in a drainage canal in Oki-no-koshi, Uchigo-Odaizaka-machi, Iwaki City.
Iwaki 内郷御台境町, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 16, at approximately 6:06 p.m., near the 94.4-kilometer post on the downhill (eastbound) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway in Sekito, Inawashiro Town, a vehicle driver (male, in his 50s) traveling on the expressway toward Inawashiro spotted a bear crossing the highway from west to east. The bear, about 1 meter in body length, left the highway and went into the forested area on the east side of the expressway.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
Around 04:25 on 2026-06-16, a bear-like animal was sighted in Yoshima-machi Oriogawasaki, Iwaki City.
Iwaki 好間町大利, Fukushima
On Tuesday, June 16 at approximately 4:25 a.m., in the Ogawasaki area of Oari, Yoshima-machi, Iwaki City, a witness (male in his 60s) driving a vehicle observed one animal believed to be a bear (approximately 1 meter in body length) crossing the road.
Iwaki 好間町大利, Fukushima
While driving a vehicle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) crossing the road.
Inawashiro 大字関都, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 14 at approximately 1:43 p.m., near the 90.9 km post on the downhill lane of the Ban-etsu Expressway by 1684 Saka-ya, Tsuboyō, Inawashiro Town, a passenger car driven by a man in his 80s, while traveling in the first lane of the downhill direction, collided with a bear cub (about 50 cm in body length) that crossed from the right to the left side of the travel direction. The driver and passenger of the vehicle were not injured. The bear left the scene of the traffic accident.
Inawashiro 大字壺楊, Fukushima
While riding a bicycle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) walking toward them across the road.
Inawashiro 字堤東, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12 at around 5:00 p.m., on a municipal road in Kaminouchi, Iwanosato, Inawashiro Town, an eyewitness (female in her 80s) spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in length) crossing the municipal road from west to east while she was driving.
Inawashiro 字五十軒道南, Fukushima
While riding in a vehicle, the observer sighted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) crossing the road.
Inawashiro 字堤東, Fukushima
While driving a vehicle, the observer sighted one animal believed to be a bear (approximately 1 m in length) on the roadway.
Motomiya 仁井田, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12, at around 8:00 a.m., a witness spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) in the trees of a mulberry tree in a grove within a stand of mixed woods in Maehama, Tsuboyō, Inawashiro Town, to the west of the witness's residence.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
While at home, the observer spotted one bear (approximately 1 m in body length) eating mulberries on a mulberry tree in a nearby grove of mixed trees.
Inawashiro 大字金田, Fukushima
While driving a vehicle, the witness observed one bear (body length approx. 1 m) crossing the town road from east to west and then leaving into the woods on the west side.
Inawashiro 字平次郎沢山, Fukushima
On Friday, June 12 at approximately 7:50 a.m., in Inawashiro Town, Gorinbara area, on a municipal road, a witness driving south along the road observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road from east to west and leaving into the forest.
Inawashiro 字五輪原, Fukushima
One bear was sighted crossing a town road and leaving into the forest in Gorinbara, Inawashiro Town.
Inawashiro 字五輪原, Fukushima
Around noon on Friday, June 12, within the Yamanaka area of Nukazawa, Motomiya City, on Prefectural Route Nihonmatsu-Kanaya, a witness (male in his 20s) driving a vehicle observed one animal believed to be a bear (about 1 m in body length) walking toward Motomiya on the road.
Motomiya 仁井田, Fukushima
Peak activity at 11:00 with 7 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 2 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Tamura, Fukushima.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 11:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 329 km route runs from Narashino to Lake Hibara, passing through Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, and Tokyo. In the past 30 days, 53 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 2 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Tamura, Fukushima. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
