This 23.4 km route from Ota to Maebashi crosses Gunma. Over the past 30 days, 2 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, with no new activity in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 2 weeks ago near Ashikaga 大前町, Tochigi; the location sits about 27 m from the start of the route and 4.7 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Ashikaga 葉鹿南町, Tochigi, sitting about 939 m from the start and 4.3 km off the route line.
With activity this close, make noise as you hike, carry bear spray, and avoid the forest at dawn and dusk.
Around 07:20 on April 21, 2026, an animal believed to be an Asian black bear was sighted on the riverbank in Oomae-cho, Ashikaga City. The sighting occurred about 150 m southwest of the Oomae baseball field, roughly 1.4 km west of Yamamae Station on the JR Ryomo Line; it may have come down the Matsudagawa River.
Ashikaga 大前町, Tochigi
Ashikaga 葉鹿南町, Tochigi
Peak activity at 7:00 with 1 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 2 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, with no new activity in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 2 weeks ago near Ashikaga 大前町, Tochigi; the location sits about 27 m from the start of the route and 4.7 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 7:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 23.4 km route from Ota to Maebashi crosses Gunma. Over the past 30 days, 2 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, with no new activity in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 2 weeks ago near Ashikaga 大前町, Tochigi; the location sits about 27 m from the start of the route and 4.7 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 2 weeks ago at Ashikaga 葉鹿南町, Tochigi, sitting about 939 m from the start and 4.3 km off the route line. With activity this close, make noise as you hike, carry bear spray, and avoid the forest at dawn and dusk.
