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This 470 km route runs from Osaki to Hakuba, passing through Miyagi, Nagano, Niigata, and Yamagata. In the past 30 days, 84 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Shibata, Niigata.
This is an active bear corridor. Reroute or postpone until activity quiets.
4 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Miyagi, Nagano, Niigata, Yamagata.
Around 05:15 on 2026-08-07, a bear was sighted in Fujitsukahama, Shibata City.
Shibata, Niigata
On 2026-08-06 around 19:30, one bear was sighted in Iwanami, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Iwanami, Yamagata
While driving, I observed one bear crossing the road from north to south. Body length unknown. / Environment: Roadway / Size: Unknown
Yamagata Iwanami, Yamagata
Ran away to the east after being sighted / Environment: Soccer field / Size: Adult
Obanazawa, Yamagata
One bear sighted near Tamasui bus stop. It was moving southwest.
Itoigawa 新鉄, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Kamikari 4-chome, Itoigawa City, around 06:00 on 2026-08-05.
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Kamikari 4-chome, Itoigawa City, Niigata.
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
One bear sighted near the highway overpass on Municipal Road Ono-Itoigawa No. 2
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
One bear sighted near Tamamizu bus stop
Itoigawa 新鉄, Niigata
One wild boar was sighted on a road in Miharashigaoka 1-chome, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Matsubara, Yamagata
One bear sighted in the Tendai-ji 2-chome area
Itoigawa 南寺町, Niigata
At around 07:40 on 2026-08-03, one bear was sighted in Renndaiji 2-chome, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture.
Itoigawa 南寺町, Niigata
One bear was sighted near the Teramachi 5-chome bus stop. It was moving south.
Itoigawa 寺町, Niigata
Sighted one bear approximately 1 meter in size.
Niigata, Niigata
Observed one bear-like individual (size unknown).
Niigata, Niigata
Spotted one bear while passing through the area.
Tainai, Niigata
One bear was sighted in Miyase, Tainai City, Niigata, crossing a road and entering a nearby rice paddy.
Tainai, Niigata
Size: cub (juvenile)
Otari Chikuni, Nagano
Around 23:30 on 2026-07-31, a bear was sighted in Takitani-machi, Akiha Ward, Niigata City.
Niigata, Niigata
While driving on a farm road, I witnessed a mother bear and cubs running from west to east.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Size: Juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Otari Kitaotari, Nagano
Around 10:00 on July 30, one bear was sighted in Nakano-guchi, Itoigawa City.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Size: Adult (fully grown)
Otari, Nagano
One bear sighted beside the road (body length about 1 m) / Environment: forest / Size: adult
Yamagata Iwanami, Yamagata
Spotted three bears (a mother and two cubs) near a residence in the Shimode area. They ran toward the mountain side.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Around 5:50 PM on 2026-07-29, one bear was sighted in a grove in Iwanami, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Yamagata Iwanami, Yamagata
Size: adult
Otari, Nagano
While driving on Prefectural Route 255, I sighted one cub. It was walking on the footpath; startled by the car, it fled up into the mountain.
Itoigawa, Niigata
While driving on Prefectural Route 225, I sighted one bear cub. It was moving southwest.
Itoigawa, Niigata
At around 19:45 on 2026-07-26, a bear was sighted in Zao-Narisawa, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Zao-Nogiwa, Yamagata
Animal resembling a bear (body length approx. 50 cm) / Environment: road / Size: juvenile
Yamagata Zao-Narisawa, Yamagata
Around 7:45 AM on July 26, a bear was sighted in Furukawa-Shimizu, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.
Osaki 古川清水, Miyagi
Size: juvenile
Otari Chikuni, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Otari Chikuni, Nagano
July 25
Shikama 高根, Miyagi
A bear was sighted in Takane Baba, Shikama Town, around 20:35 on July 25.
Shikama 高根, Miyagi
Size: juvenile
Otari Chikuni, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Otari, Nagano
It ran off toward the mountainside.
Joetsu, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Osuga, Nadachi-ku, Joetsu City, Niigata.
Joetsu, Niigata
One bear-like animal (body length approx. 50 cm) / Environment: near houses / Size: juvenile
Yamagata Katayachi, Yamagata
July 23
Osaki, Miyagi
A bear was sighted in Iida 2-chome, Yamagata City, around 21:20 on July 23.
Yamagata Zao-Iida, Yamagata
Size: Adult
Hakuba, Nagano
July 22
Osaki 岩出山下野目, Miyagi
Environment: Around homes / Size: Adult
Obanazawa Tsurumakita, Yamagata
One bear sighted on the village road. It moved toward the mountains.
Sekikawa, Niigata
Observed one bear running from the mountain toward the river.
Tainai, Niigata
Environment: Road / Size: Adult
Nanyo 上野, Yamagata
One bear about 100 centimeters long was sighted near National Route 8 in front of the former Daily Yamazaki.
Joetsu, Niigata
Size: adult (full-grown)
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: adult with cubs
Otari, Nagano
One bear about 100 centimeters long was sighted 100 meters west of Mushou bus stop.
Joetsu, Niigata
One bear about 100 cm in body length was sighted on a side road 100 meters east of the former Daily Yamazaki.
Joetsu, Niigata
Two cubs were sighted by an angler in the riverbed area of the Ōshima district. They ran into the brush.
Sekikawa, Niigata
While doing farm work, I saw one bear come out of the brush into the rice field. It later moved to the mountain on the east side.
Joetsu, Niigata
Around 2:40 PM on July 17, a bear was sighted in Nadachi-Omachi, Nadachi Ward, Joetsu City.
Joetsu, Niigata
Environment: Road / Size: Adult
Nanyo 赤湯, Yamagata
Around 5:05 on July 16, a bear was sighted in Hokujo, Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture.
Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Otari Nakatsuchi, Nagano
Environment: riverbed / Size: cub
Kawanishi 大字東大塚, Yamagata
One bear was sighted in Takayama, Kawanishi Town, Yamagata, swimming downstream in the Mogami River.
Kawanishi 大字高山, Yamagata
Size: juvenile
Otari, Nagano
Around 3 PM on July 14, a bear was sighted in Shakado, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Shakado, Yamagata
One bear approximately 1 meter in length was sighted crossing the road from west to east. It was not seen afterward.
Yamagata Zao-Hotta, Yamagata
One bear was sighted on a road in Zaō Ueno, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Zao-Uwano, Yamagata
Another bear was sighted around 10:00 a.m. in Zaō Ueno, Yamagata City.
Yamagata Zao-Uwano, Yamagata
One bear approximately 60 cm in length sighted on the road / Environment: roadway / Size: cub
Yamagata Kanno, Yamagata
A bear was sighted in Zaō Ueno, Yamagata City, around 14:42 on July 13.
Yamagata Zao-Uwano, Yamagata
One bear sighted. Direction of travel unknown.
Niigata, Niigata
One bear about 100 centimeters in body length was sighted approximately 200 meters east of Joetsu Gochi Nursing Home.
Joetsu, Niigata
A nearby resident sighted one bear. It entered the grassy area to the west.
Joetsu, Niigata
One bear about 1 meter long was sighted in a residential lot in Gochi 6-chome, Joetsu City, Niigata, and left heading west.
Joetsu, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Asahi, Akiba Ward, Niigata City, around 07:30 on July 11.
Niigata, Niigata
Around 4:30 a.m. on July 11, a bear about 1 meter long was spotted on the premises of a private residence in Gochi 6, Joetsu City.
Joetsu, Niigata
A single cub bear was sighted near Tsutsuishi Station.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Environment: Farmland / Size: Unknown
Obanazawa Nitobukuro, Yamagata
July 10
Kami 沼ケ袋, Miyagi
Size: juvenile
Otari Nakaotari, Nagano
A bear was sighted in Toriyagasaki Dorosakayashiki, Kami Town, around 2:00 PM.
Kami 孫沢, Miyagi
There were footprints in the rice field. Sightings were also reported nearby on 7/7 and 7/8. The estimated date and time are unknown.
Murakami, Niigata
At around 10:50 on July 9, one bear was seen moving in Hakoa, Shibata City, Niigata.
Shibata, Niigata
Peak activity at 7:00 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, 84 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Shibata, Niigata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 470 km route runs from Osaki to Hakuba, passing through Miyagi, Nagano, Niigata, and Yamagata. In the past 30 days, 84 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 13 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Shibata, Niigata. This is an active bear corridor. Reroute or postpone until activity quiets.
