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  4. Odate to Towada Drive

Odate to Towada Drive

Driving · Very High Risk · 79 km · 1h 32m · 2 stops · 80 sightings · Saved May 31, 2026 · Last updated 7 hours ago
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Saves as a new trip plan. The original stays as-is.

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14
Incidents in last 7 days
80
Incidents in last 30 days
1 day ago
Latest

Safety Summary

This 79 km route runs from Odate to Towada, passing through Akita and Aomori. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Kazuno, Akita.

This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.

Your Route

Route Profile

Highlights Along Your Route (1)

1 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Akita, Aomori.

Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Very High Risk

Towada-Hachimantai National Park

Akita

1,822 incidents

Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Very High Risk

Towada-Hachimantai National Park

Akita

1,822 incidents

Route Timeline

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S
Odate, Akita
Very High Risk 79 km 1h 32m 80 sightings within 5 km

Rice field / body length 80 cm / 50 m from a house / 20 m from the witness While patrolling the rice fields by vehicle, we discovered a small bear wandering around. The bear entered the grassy area of the rice field.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 day ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Around 13:50 on July 29, a bear was sighted moving in Hanawa Suwano, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

News ·2 days ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Post] A cub was at the roadside

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·3 days ago
Show 77 more

A bear was sighted in Kosaka-Kōzan Sugisawa, Kosaka Town, Akita Prefecture, around 3:35 PM on July 27.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·3 days ago

[Report] Following last week, three bears (a mother and two cubs) were sighted.

Kosaka Kosaka-kozan, Akita

Official ·3 days ago

Around 6:30 PM on July 26, a bear was sighted in Towada-Kemanai Kashiwano, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture, and was seen moving.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

News ·4 days ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

On residential property / body length 1 m / 3 m from house / 3 m from witness. Witness observed a bear crossing the property, walking from north to south, from inside the residence.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Official ·4 days ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

[Report] It walked right beside the car in my yard and then headed toward the weeds next door.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Official ·4 days ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Report] A single bear about 1.2 meters long was at the roadside of the town road on the west side of the rice fields and entered the forest west of the town road. In this area, encounters and sightings have been occurring in succession: an encounter in a paddy field on May 24, a sighting of one bear on May 31, a sighting of one bear on June 30, and a sighting of two bears—believed to be a parent and offspring—on July 1. It appears to use routes that include the south side of the Sunagosawa settlement and crossing the Sunagosawa River.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·5 days ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

In a household property field / body length 1 m / 20 m from the house / 20 m distance from the witness While in the field, I saw a bear pass through the field heading east.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Official ·5 days ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Around 6:20 AM on July 25, a bear was seen moving in Towada-Oyu Sekigami, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

News ·6 days ago

Around 4:10 PM on July 25, a bear was seen moving in Kosaka Sanezawa, Kosaka Town, Akita Prefecture.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·6 days ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Municipal road / body length 1 m / 20 m from residence / 20 m from witness While riding a motorcycle on the municipal road, I observed a bear crossing the road from east to west and entering the grass.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Official ·6 days ago

Posted: A postal worker witnessed it while making deliveries.

Kosaka Kosaka-kozan, Akita

Official ·6 days ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Report] On the town road there was one young bear about 40 centimeters in body length. When it noticed the car, it looked at us once, then changed direction and went into the bushes of Yunotani-chi toward the Sunagosawa River, where it appears to have come from. No adult bear was seen. The cub was about the size expected for one born this year and jet black and clean, looking almost like a stuffed animal. The thought that the mother might be nearby was frightening.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·1 week ago

A branch of the apple tree had been broken. In addition to several claw marks on the tree, footprints and droppings were found nearby. [Issued by Hirakawa City]

Hirakawa Ikarigaseki-Hisayoshi, Aomori

Official ·1 week ago

Around 10:00 on 2026-07-23, traces suggesting a bear appearance were found in Ikariseki Hisayoshi Shitaichitsu, Hirakawa City, Aomori, and apples were damaged.

Hirakawa Ikarigaseki-Hisayoshi, Aomori

News ·1 week ago
Kazuno, Akita

Witnessed one bear approximately 1 m in body length crossing the municipal road heading north and moving down to the riverbed. Its subsequent direction of movement is unknown.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 week ago
Kazuno, Akita

A bear was sighted moving in Hanawa Takichimukai, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture, around 07:20 on 2026-07-22.

Kazuno, Akita

News ·1 week ago
Kosaka, Akita

Crossed from the southbound lanes of the Tohoku Expressway to the northbound lanes.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·1 week ago

On 2026-07-21 around 16:45, a bear was sighted moving in Kosaka Kogyo, Kosaka Town, Akita Prefecture.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·1 week ago

[Post] I was standing on the left bank setting a hook to start fishing for sweetfish when a friend downstream shouted something. Looking around, I saw a bear cub about 10 meters upstream swimming from the left bank to the right bank. I was on alert, thinking the mother might be nearby, but it was the only one.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Official ·1 week ago

A bear was sighted moving in Towada Suehiro Kamiyabu, Kazuno City.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

News ·1 week ago

Ran off toward the mountain to the north.

Hirakawa, Aomori

Official ·1 week ago

A bear was sighted in Ikarigaseki Funaoka, Hirakawa City, Aomori, around 4 PM on July 17.

Hirakawa Ikarigaseki-Hisayoshi, Aomori

News ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

[Post] It looked like a cub was being allowed to play in the middle of the road. I couldn’t pass, so I stopped about 30 m away and honked; it then climbed up the slope at the side of the road.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

[Posted] While driving a car

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

Location: national highway / Body length: 1.0 m / 10 m from a private house / 50 m from the witness. While working outdoors, the witness saw a bear about 1.0 m long cross the national highway from north to south via a bridge, pass between a vacant house and a shop, and enter the forested hills to the southeast.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Odate, Akita

It poked its head out of the bushes on the left side facing the Kosaka direction, but it immediately withdrew when startled by the car.

Odate, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

One bear was seen moving in Towadaoyuoyu, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.

Kazuno, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Post]

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

Seems a mother bear with a little cub

Kazuno, Akita

2 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

A neighbor spotted one bear (body length approximately 1.0 m) / direction of travel: east / about 10 m from the nearest house

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

A bear was sighted in Nagahayashi Jinba, Odate City, around 08:07 on July 15.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago

A driver who visited JR Jinba Station sighted one bear (approximately 1.0 m in body length) near the tracks / direction of travel: east / about 20 m from the above station

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

It crossed the tracks in front of the platform and walked toward the mountains.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

[Post] In the rice field

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

A bear was sighted in Hanawa-Tsuburone, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

(Posted) Emerged from the shrubs beside the intersection and fled across the rice field heading southwest.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Kosaka Araya, Akita

[Post]

Kosaka Araya, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

[Report] Two bears (a mother and cub) were on the road. Direction of movement unknown.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

A bear was sighted in Nagahashiri Jamba, Ōdate City.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago

Report: A single bear about 80 centimeters long was in the rice-field ridge at 1 Murashita, Kosaka, Kosaka Town. It was walking westward, eating grass along the ridge and beside irrigation channels, then climbed the west-side slope vegetation, crossed the town road, and entered the western woodland. When it spotted a light truck on the town road, it turned back into the vegetation and crossed the road at a distance to avoid it.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

A bear was sighted in Towada-Nishiki Murota, Kazuno City, and was seen moving.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

A single bear about 70 cm in body length was crossing the old national road from south to north.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago
Kosaka, Akita

It was crossing the prefectural road from west to east.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·2 weeks ago

A bear was sighted in Kamisou, Kosaka Town, Akita, and was seen moving.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·2 weeks ago
Kosaka, Akita

A mother bear with two cubs ran from the road toward the mountain path/area leading to the waterfall. Nearby there was a dropping that looked like it belonged to a bear.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago

Two young bears about 70 centimeters long were in a cleared lot beside a rice field. They were wandering around a cleared area adjacent to a crushed-stone storage site, then went into the woodland to the east. The mother bear was not seen. There are mulberry trees along the mountainside near here, and bears are sighted almost every year.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

While driving on the northbound lanes of the Tohoku Expressway, a witness saw a single bear about 50 centimeters long cross the expressway from east to west and then move into the brush on the west side.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago

Post: A decorative ornament on the property was found broken, so I checked the security camera footage and identified the individual shown. (The ornament appears to have been gnawed or scratched and damaged.)

Kosaka Towadako, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

Municipal road / body length 70 cm / 10 m from a house / approximately 50 m from the witness. From inside a residence, the witness observed a small bear crossing the municipal road and moving east toward the Oyukawa River.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago

One bear is captured on a surveillance camera. [From Hirakawa City]

Hirakawa, Aomori

Official ·3 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

One bear was sighted in Nagabashiri-jinba, Odate City.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

News ·3 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

A nearby resident spotted one bear (body length 1.0 m) / heading north / approximately 20 m from the nearest house

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Post]

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago

A bear was sighted in Kosaka-zawa, Kosaka Town.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·3 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Walking through the field

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

A bear was sighted in Towada-Ōyu Araise, Kazuno City.

Kazuno, Akita

News ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

National road / body length 1 m / 50 m from a house / 5 m from the witness While driving a vehicle on the national road toward Lake Towada, I witnessed a bear crossing the road from north to south and heading toward the river.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago

Around 7:00 PM on 2026-07-05, a bear was seen on camera in Ikarigaseki, Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture.

Hirakawa Ikarigaseki, Aomori

News ·3 weeks ago
Kosaka Daichi, Akita

[Post]

Kosaka Daichi, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Driver sighted one bear (body length 1.0 m) / direction of travel unknown / approximately 600 m to nearest facility

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Odate, Akita

A driver witnessed a single bear (approximately 1.0 m in body length) crossing National Route 7 from the parking lot on the premises of Odate Yatate Heights and disappearing into the mountains. Direction of travel: south. Distance from the above facility: about 60 m.

Odate, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

On highway premises / body length 50 cm / 50 m from houses, 30 m from witness. While walking through the highway management property, the witness discovered a bear on the premises. The bear entered the brush from the property.

Kazuno Towada-Nishikigi, Akita

Official ·3 weeks ago
Kazuno, Akita

Observed while driving. It was in the middle of the road, but when it noticed us it ran into the bushes.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno Towada-Kemanai, Akita

Municipal road / body length 70 cm / 5 m from a residence / 15 m distance from the observer While driving a vehicle on a municipal road within the settlement, the observer sighted a bear running west.

Kazuno Towada-Kemanai, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

City road / body length 1 m / 5 m from a house / 5 m from the witness. While driving on a city road, the driver saw a bear running west across the road.

Kazuno Towada-Okada, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno, Akita

Prefectural road / Body length 70 cm / 5 m from a private house / 5 m distance from the witness While driving a vehicle on the prefectural road, a bear ran out in front of the car. When the horn was sounded, the bear went into the brush to the east.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno, Akita

Field / Body length 70 cm / Distance from witness 30 m / 50 m from residences. While driving on a municipal road, the driver spotted a bear in the field.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno, Akita

National highway / body length 1.5 m / distance to witness 0 m / 1 km from residences. A bear is dead on the highway and obstructing traffic.

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno, Akita

Posted: Found dead (Prefectural note: Died as a result of a traffic accident)

Kazuno, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kazuno Towada-Kemanai, Akita

Rice field / body length 1 m / 100 m from residence / 50 m from witness. While driving on the prefectural road in a vehicle, I spotted a bear in a rice field. The bear moved toward the river, so I chased it by vehicle while calling to fishermen to take refuge. After wandering along the river, the bear entered the forested hills to the west. I pursued it up to the edge of the forest.

Kazuno Towada-Kemanai, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Kosaka, Akita

Report: On the town road west of the rice field at Kosaka 38, Kosaka-machi, a female/male adult bear about 1.2 meters long and one cub about 70 centimeters long were sighted. After that, the adult and cub entered the forested mountain area west of the town road. They are believed to have come up from the field road near Kosaka 38, climbed the roadside embankment below the town road, and emerged onto the town road. Sightings of bears are reported in this area, which is just south of the village cemetery, every year; this is the second sighting already this year. It is thought to be one of the travel routes used when moving between the forest on the east side of the Sunagosawa River and the forest on the west side.

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

A group of visitors walking along the trail at Nagabashiri Fūketsu Pavilion sighted one bear (approximately 80 cm in body length). Direction of travel: north. Approximately 30 m from the above facility.

Odate Nagabashiri, Akita

Official ·1 month ago
Odate, Akita

A nearby resident sighted one bear (body length unknown) / moving east / approximately 10 m from the nearest house

Odate, Akita

Official ·1 month ago

A bear was sighted in Kosaka Nigawa, Kosaka Town, Akita, around 11:15 on July 1.

Kosaka, Akita

News ·1 month ago
Kosaka, Akita

[Post]

Kosaka, Akita

Official ·1 month ago

A bear about 1 m tall was sighted on the road. It then ran off toward the mountains. [Reported by Hirakawa City]

Hirakawa, Aomori

Official ·1 month ago

A bear was sighted in Ikadekankusuyoshi, Hirakawa City.

Hirakawa, Aomori

News ·1 month ago
G
Towada, Aomori
Total Distance: 79 km

When Are Bears Most Active?

Peak activity at 16:00 with 10 incidents

Asian black bears on your route

Asian Black Bear

Asian Black Bear

Ursus thibetanus japonicus

Range
Honshu, Shikoku
Size
80–120 kg
Active
Dawn & dusk

Sharing space safely

  • ·Make noise as you walk; carry bear spray
  • ·If charged, stand firm and use the spray
  • ·If contact happens, resist firmly. They retreat when met with resistance
  • ·Don't climb. They climb better than you

Safety Checklist

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Emergency Contacts

110
Police
119
Fire/Ambulance

For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Route

How many bear sightings are on this route?

In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them.

When and where was the most recent bear sighting near this route?

The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Kazuno, Akita.

What time of day are bears most active here?

Recent sightings on this route peak around 16:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.

Is this route safe to travel right now?

This 79 km route runs from Odate to Towada, passing through Akita and Aomori. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 14 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Kazuno, Akita. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.

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