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This 414 km route runs from Niigata Science Museum to Okazaki Castle, passing through Niigata, Aichi, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 115 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them. The latest sighting was reported 21 hours ago near Tokamachi, Niigata.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
6 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Niigata, Aichi, Nagano.
One bear was sighted near Ichinosawa Bridge on National Route 252, moving in the direction of the Tobitogawa River.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Around 8:00 on June 19, two bears were reported sighted on a road in Kamigōkuroda, Iida City.
Iida Kamisatokuroda, Nagano
Size: unknown
Iida 宮ノ上, Nagano
Around 8:00 on 2026-06-19, a bear-like animal was sighted in Miyanoue, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture.
Iida 宮ノ上, Nagano
In Soga, Shiojiri City, one adult Asian black bear caught in a trap for deer and other animals was captured and culled because houses were nearby.
Shiojiri Daimon, Nagano
While driving on National Route 252, one bear was sighted. It moved toward the Tobitogawa River.
Tokamachi, Niigata
A bear about 1.2 meters long was sighted on a road in Nakajo-ki, Tokamachi City.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Size: juvenile
Kijimadaira Ogo, Nagano
A bear believed to be an adult was sighted at Shiroyama Park in Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano
Size: unknown
Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano
Size: cub (young bear)
Tatsuno 南平, Nagano
Size: cub (juvenile)
Azumino, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Nozawaonsen Mushiu, Nagano
One cub spotted near Prefectural Route 49.
Tsunan Sanga, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Kamishima, Tatsuno Town, Nagano, around 18:00 on 2026-06-15.
Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano
Size: adult
Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Nakamura, Iida City, Nagano on June 15 around 7:30 PM.
Iida 中村, Nagano
Size: cub (young)
Iida, Nagano
One bear was sighted in a residential area of Miyabuchi, Matsumoto City; police searched but did not find it.
Matsumoto Miyabuchi-honmura, Nagano
One bear was sighted about 500 meters west along the mountain area from Iizuka meeting hall. It was moving north.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Around 6:00 on June 14, a bear was sighted in Nanase, Nakano City.
Nakano Nanase, Nagano
Size: adult
Iiyama Toyoda, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nagano Matsushiromachi-Iwano, Nagano
Two bear sighting reports were received from residents in Miyabuchi 3, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Miyabuchi-honmura, Nagano
Size: unknown
Matsumoto Miyabuchi-honmura, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nakano Nanase, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Nozawaonsen Mushiu, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nozawaonsen Mushiu, Nagano
Around 12:20 on 2026-06-13, a bear was sighted in Shimauchi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Anazawa, Nagano
Size: adult
Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano
Size: adult
Matsumoto Shimauchi, Nagano
One bear was found trapped in a snare along a forest road in Kawagishi, Okaya City, and was culled.
Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Iida 大休, Nagano
While driving on National Route 252, I sighted one bear. It was moving toward the mountains on the west side.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Around 17:10 on June 11, a bear was sighted in Kami-shima, Tatsuno Town.
Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Okada-Shimookada, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Okada-Shimookada, Nagano
A 110 emergency call reported seeing a bear in Jōyama, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Joyama, Nagano
Size: adult
Achi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Iida, Nagano
Size: young cub
Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Kanai, Shiojiri City on 2026-06-11.
Shiojiri Kanai, Nagano
Size: Adult
Matsumoto Joyama, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Shiojiri Midoriko, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Minowa 大字中箕輪, Nagano
One bear was sighted on the grounds of a commercial facility in Tokimizu, Ojiya City, Niigata, and then left for adjacent woodland.
Ojiya City, Niigata
Size: Unknown
Chikuma Mori, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Shiojiri Kaminishijo, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Azumino 三郷明盛, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino, Nagano
Fled toward the Shinano River due to the approach of a car
Nagaoka, Niigata
Three sets of bear tracks confirmed in farmland beside the Tokamachi City General Park tennis courts.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Bear traces (claw marks and broken branches) were confirmed on a persimmon tree within the grounds of a private residence in the Takayasu-ji area.
Sanjo, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Shimmura, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Niimura, Nagano
On 2026-06-08, tracks like those of a bear were found in Hakka-ko, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Size: Adult
Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano
Size: Adult
Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano
One bear, about 1 m long, was sighted beside a city road in Kawaguchiushigashima, Nagaoka City.
Nagaoka, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Wada, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto Wada, Nagano
One bear was sighted moving from farmland behind the elementary school gymnasium toward the mountains.
Tokamachi, Niigata
While driving on Prefectural Route 528, I witnessed two bears — a parent and its cub — moving toward the mountains to the south.
Tokamachi, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Sasa-ga, Matsumoto City, around 5:30 a.m. on June 6.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Neba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nagano Shinonoi-Yokota, Nagano
Size: Adult
Iiyama Oike, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Iida 宮ノ上, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Shimonishijo, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Iiyama, Nagano
Around 18:45 on 2026-06-04, an animal believed to be a bear was sighted in Soga, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture.
Shiojiri Daimon, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Sasaga, Matsumoto City, Nagano, around 08:50 on 2026-06-04.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Nakano Kasahara, Nagano
Size: adult
Ina Nishimachi, Nagano
Size: cub (juvenile)
Nozawaonsen Hirabayashi, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Matsumoto Kukohigashi, Nagano
A member of the public walking nearby sighted one bear. It moved south.
Nagaoka, Niigata
A 45-year-old farm worker woman nearby called 110 to report seeing a bear in Sasaga, Matsumoto City.
Matsumoto, Nagano
Size: Adult
Matsumoto Kukohigashi, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ina Nishiminowa, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Hirooka-Harashinden, Nagano
Size: Adult
Okaya, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nagano Aokijimamachi-Aokijima, Nagano
Two types of tracks (total of 3 bears) were confirmed in farmland near the former Tokamachi Ski Resort site. 1) Tracks of one adult bear 2) Tracks of one mother and one cub
Tokamachi, Niigata
Size: adult
Azumino 豊科光, Nagano
One bear was sighted walking through a field in Oizumi Shinden, Nishiminowa, Ina City, Nagano; later hunters and officials also confirmed it and saw it head north.
Ina, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Iida 白山町, Nagano
Size: adult
Sakae Hokushin, Nagano
Toyota, Aichi
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Shimonishijo, Nagano
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano
One bear was sighted on Prefectural Route 49. It crossed the prefectural road from the Shinano River side and moved into the mountain on the west side.
Tokamachi, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Shimokijima, Iiyama City.
Iiyama Shimokijima, Nagano
Size: adult
Kijimadaira, Nagano
Size: unknown
Kijimadaira Ogo, Nagano
Around 18:35 on 2026-05-29, one bear was sighted in Shimadachi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
Matsumoto Shimadachi, Nagano
Size: cub (juvenile)
Takamori Ushimaki, Nagano
Size: adult with cub
Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano
While walking on a forest road, I saw one bear nearby. It was sitting there.
Tokamachi, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter in size was sighted behind the company’s hill. Afterwards, it left the area and went into the mountain.
Sanjo, Niigata
Size: Unknown
Toyooka Kumashiro, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano
Buckwheat husks stored on farmland had been scattered/rummaged through.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Size: Adult
Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Nagano Shinkomachi-Hinota, Nagano
Size: adult
Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano
Size: Adult
Iiyama Toyoda, Nagano
Moved from Kamagawa, passed through rice fields, and headed toward the mountains.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Around 10:30 on 2026-05-25, a bear was sighted in Shigechi, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture.
Tokamachi, Niigata
Size: Unknown
Sakae Toyosakae, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Ina Nakanohara, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano
Toyota 東萩平町, Aichi
Size: Unknown
Nagano Matsushiromachi-Kiyono, Nagano
Peak activity at 7:00 with 4 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, 115 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 21 hours ago near Tokamachi, Niigata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 414 km route runs from Niigata Science Museum to Okazaki Castle, passing through Niigata, Aichi, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 115 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them. The latest sighting was reported 21 hours ago near Tokamachi, Niigata. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
