This 239 km route runs from Mount Tate to Yorii, passing through Toyama, Saitama, Gifu, Gunma, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 31 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 1 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Azumino 明科光, Nagano.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
12 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Toyama, Saitama, Gifu, Gunma, Nagano.
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino 明科光, Nagano
A bear appeared during a junior high school soccer match in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, causing about 100 people to evacuate. A 78-year-old man fought back at the scene, reportedly hitting the bear's nose with his fist, after which the bear fled.
Ueda Ninomaru, Nagano
On May 17, 2026, shortly after 14:30, a bear appeared from the woods during a middle school soccer match at a school ground in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. About 100 players and guardians evacuated and the match was cancelled (the sighting was filmed by a TV Shinshu reporter).
Ueda Ninomaru, Nagano
Tomioka 妙義町諸戸, Gunma
Size: juvenile
Karuizawa 大字長倉, Nagano
Size: adult
Karuizawa 軽井沢, Nagano
A black bear was standing on all four paws at the roadside.
Karuizawa, Nagano
Around 7:30 a.m. on the 16th, a resident walking in the Itopia Komoro Kogen villa area in Okubo, Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture, reported seeing one adult bear about 1 meter long and called the police. Officers arrived but the bear had already left; no further sightings or damage have been confirmed and the police are warning local residents.
Komoro Okubo, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino, Nagano
Size: Adult
Karuizawa 大字追分, Nagano
Size: adult and cub
Azumino 堀金三田, Nagano
It was a cub about 1 meter long. It immediately went off to the left and disappeared from view. I turned back.
Annaka, Gunma
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 明科光, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 明科中川手, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 堀金烏川, Nagano
Size: Juvenile
Chikuhoku, Nagano
It was watching us from a distance along the Apt Trail.
Annaka, Gunma
Size: Adult
Matsumoto Gojo, Nagano
On May 3 in Hotaka Ariake, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, a roughly 1‑meter bear stayed in the backyard of a residence for about four hours and was captured and euthanized with a tranquilizer gun by hunters around 14:30. The area mixes fields and houses, and no injuries to residents were reported.
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
On May 3, 2026, an adult bear (about 1 meter long) was sighted around 09:00 in the yard of a private home in Hotaka Ariake, Azumino City, Nagano. City officials, police and local hunters guarded the area, and the bear was captured with a tranquilizer gun around 14:30 and subsequently euthanized. No injuries or property damage were reported.
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: adult
Azumino, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Annaka 松井田町五料, Gunma
Near Kita-Sakura Street, Nagatoro, Nagatoro Town, Chichibu District, Saitama Prefecture A bear thought to be an Asian black bear (tsukinowaguma) was spotted slightly off the busy tourist street in Nagatoro. It ran back into the mountain, but caution is advised because there are many people nearby.
Nagatoro, Saitama
Karuizawa Town in Kitasaku District has temporarily shifted its policy from releasing captured bears after 'learning' to euthanizing them for a limited period. The change responds to repeated human injuries and appearances of bears in residential areas across the prefecture and concerns that bears' wide-ranging movements could cause harm to neighboring municipalities.
Karuizawa 中軽井沢, Nagano
Observed a bear-like silhouette lumbering along the riverbank
Nagatoro Ido, Saitama
Peak activity at 14:00 with 4 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, 31 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 1 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Azumino 明科光, Nagano.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 14:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 239 km route runs from Mount Tate to Yorii, passing through Toyama, Saitama, Gifu, Gunma, and Nagano. In the past 30 days, 31 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 1 of them. The latest sighting was reported 3 days ago near Azumino 明科光, Nagano. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
