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This 112 km route runs from Niigata Science Museum to Yugawa, passing through Niigata and Fukushima. In the past 30 days, 38 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Aizubange 大字見明, Fukushima.
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, Fukushima.
At Unai Nakakozan, Aizubange Town, one bear crossed the road.
Aizubange 大字見明, Fukushima
On Sunday, June 21 at approximately 5:52 p.m., in Uchiai, Nakagoyama area, Aizubange Town, a witness (female) driving on a town road observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road from north to south. The bear then went off to the south.
Aizubange 大字見明, Fukushima
A bear about 0.5 meters long was sighted at a private home frontage in Toyomiotsu, Aga Town, shortly after 4 a.m.
Aga 八ツ田, Niigata
On Wednesday, June 17 at around 7:00 p.m., on National Route 49 in Kunioka, Kaminoyama Ko, Nishi-Aizu Town, a witness (male in his 50s) while traveling by vehicle observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) dash out from the forest beside the road. The bear returned to the forest it had come from.
Nishiaizu Muraoka, Fukushima
Two bear cubs sighted in the marsh/wetland area.
Agano, Niigata
One cub, about 0.7 meters long, was sighted in Kusamizu, Agano City, and fled into brush on the east side.
Agano, Niigata
On Tuesday, June 16 at approximately 3:55 a.m., in an open lot in Suwanishi Ko, Nozawa, Nishi-Aizu Town, a witness (female in her 60s) observed two bears (about 1 m in body length) in the grass of the lot while passing by in a vehicle. After being seen, the bears fled into a cedar grove in the lot.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
Around 14:00 on 2026-06-15, a bear was sighted at Takatsukayama in Minamitakano, Kawanumachi, Aizuwakamatsu City.
Aizuwakamatsu Kawahigashimachi-Minamikoya, Fukushima
A witness, traveling on National Route 49 toward Fukushima Prefecture, observed one bear crossing National Route 49 from right to left and fleeing into the mountains.
Aga 津川, Niigata
A witness, while resting in the parking lot of the Aga-no-Sato roadside station, spotted a bear (one) in a field on the northeast side of the parking lot. When they shone a light, the bear ran off to the east.
Aga 釣浜, Niigata
One bear, about 1 meter long, was sighted in Ishima, Aga Town.
Aga 石間, Niigata
A witness, while traveling on National Route 49 toward Niigata City, observed one bear crossing National Route 49 from right to left and fleeing into the mountains.
Aga 津川, Niigata
A service area patron, while driving on the off-ramp, sighted one bear outside the guardrail.
Aga 熊渡, Niigata
On Wednesday, June 10 at around 4:00 a.m., in an open lot in Nozawa, Suwanishi-ko, Nishiaizu Town, a witness (female in her 60s) spotted two bears (approximately 1 m in length) in the grass of the lot while traveling by vehicle.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
A traffic guide directing vehicles along National Route 49 sighted a bear (one). The bear ran toward the guide (approaching to about 30 meters), but noticed the sound of vehicles on the national highway and retreated back into the woods.
Aga 八ツ田, Niigata
On Monday, June 8, at around 7:00 p.m., on a town road in Yanaizu-machi, Oaza Yanaizu, Aza Yahashomaki Ko, a witness (male in his 70s), while in a vehicle, observed one bear (approximately 1 m in body length). The bear then left and went north into the forested area.
Yanaizu Godo, Fukushima
An Aganogawa Service Area staff member spotted an adult bear and cub wandering around the employee parking lot. The bears later left heading toward the railroad tracks (Route 49).
Aga 熊渡, Niigata
On Sunday, June 7, at approximately 4:50 a.m., in the area of Kamiokinobara, Uenojiri, Nishiaizu Town, a witness (male in his 60s) observed one bear (about 1.5 m in body length) moving westward beside a roadside earthen storehouse and warehouses as he was leaving his home. The bear ran off to the west and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Nishiaizu Kaminojiri, Fukushima
On June 5 (Friday) at approximately 6:25 a.m., on National Route 252 within the area of Shimoharamichi-nishi甲, Oaza Yanaitsucho, a witness (a woman in her 40s) driving on Route 252 observed one bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the road from west to east. Its destination after leaving the road to the east is unknown.
Yanaizu Kotsubaki, Fukushima
A bear was seen crossing National Route 252 in Shimohara-michi Nishi-ko, Yanaizu Town.
Yanaizu Kotsubaki, Fukushima
On June 5 (Friday) at approximately 4:26 a.m., in the Toriya area of Tsukematsu, Nishi-Aizu Town, a vehicle driver (male in his 60s) passing near the 138.4 km post on the outbound (upward) lanes of the Ban-etsu Expressway reported seeing a bear (about 1 m in body length) crossing the expressway from north to south while traveling on the outbound lanes toward Iwaki. The bear left the area via the south-side slope of the road.
Nishiaizu Tabanematsu, Fukushima
Around 04:00 on June 5, a bear was sighted in Nozawa Suwanishi-ko, Nishiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
On June 5 (Friday) at around 4:00 a.m., in a vacant lot in Suwanishi Ko, Nozawa, Nishiaizu Town, a witness (female in her 60s) saw two bears (about 1.5 m and about 1 m in length) in a roadside vacant lot while driving.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
Around 7:45 PM on June 4, a bear was sighted in Noguchiotsu, Teshima, Nishiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture.
Nishiaizu Tosejima, Fukushima
On Thursday, June 4 at approximately 7:45 p.m., on the Kitakata–Nishiaizu Prefectural Road in Noguchi Otsu area, Toyeshima, Nishi-Aizu Town, a witness (male in his 50s) saw one bear (about 1.5 m in length) on the road while driving. The bear walked south into a grassy area and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
Nishiaizu Tosejima, Fukushima
While the witness was driving on the Ban-etsu Expressway heading toward Niigata and was taking the road from the main line into the Agano River service area, a bear with cubs emerged from the right. Startled by the witness’s vehicle, they turned back and went into the woods.
Aga 熊渡, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Yanaizu, Yanaizu Town, Fukushima.
Yanaizu, Fukushima
On June 4 at approximately 6:22 a.m., while patrolling in Yanitsu (Yanitsu-aza Shimoharamichi Nishi Ko area), police officers spotted one bear (about 1 m in body length) beside the road.
Yanaizu 椿, Fukushima
On the Ban-etsu Expressway, a small bear (one individual) was sighted inside the construction yard of Ryūgatake Tunnel. It then ran off into the nearby forested area.
Aga 福取, Niigata
A guest at Tsugawa Onsen sighted a bear on the way back, briefly retreated, spoke with an onsen employee, and then left.
Aga 京ノ瀬, Niigata
Witnessed a bear crossing the national Route 49, heading from the Nishiku (West Ward) toward the highway near the west overpass of Route 49.
Aga 津川, Niigata
Witnessed a black object believed to be a bear moving from Minagawa Sawmill toward the Agano River.
Aga あが野北, Niigata
While walking along National Route 49 toward Niigata, I sighted a mother bear and cub walking toward the expressway in the rice field on the left.
Aga 熊渡, Niigata
While walking toward Niigata on National Route 49, I witnessed a mother and cub crossing the road ahead from right to left.
Aga 取上, Niigata
While on a walk, I spotted a young bear heading into the wooded area of an old school site.
Aga 釣浜, Niigata
Two bears were sighted on Route 49 in Togami, Aga Town.
Aga 取上, Niigata
Around 14:40 on May 25, two bears, about 1 m and 0.5 m long, were sighted in Onohon Shitahira-ko, Nishiaizu Town, Fukushima.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
On Monday, May 25 at approximately 2:40 p.m., in a river in Onohon Shimodaira Ko area, Nishiaizu Town, a witness (man in his 60s) observed two bears moving southward in the river while walking. One bear was about 1.0 m in length and the other about 50 cm. The subsequent whereabouts of the bears are unknown.
Nishiaizu Onomoto, Fukushima
Peak activity at 4:00 with 5 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, 38 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Aizubange 大字見明, Fukushima.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 4:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 112 km route runs from Niigata Science Museum to Yugawa, passing through Niigata and Fukushima. In the past 30 days, 38 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 6 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Aizubange 大字見明, Fukushima. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
