Tobinodai Shell Mound to Yonezawa Castle Drive

A teenage boy on the way home from school sighted one bear, about 1.5 meters long, in a pasture area in Daito, Dakeonsen, Nihonmatsu City.

Nihonmatsu 岳温泉大和, Fukushima

One bear was sighted in Nambara Inawashirocho, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. It was estimated to be about 1 meter long.

Yonezawa Minamihara-Inawashiromachi, Yamagata

Around 11:00 on 2026-05-22, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Nakanoenbu, Iizakamachi, Fukushima City.

Fukushima Iizakamachi-Nakano, Fukushima

Around 08:30 on May 21, 2026, an man in his 80s spotted a bear about 50 cm long in a field in Fukushima City, Ozasao Aza Kaminomachi, and reported it to the Fukushima North Police at about 10:00. The bear ran into brush to the west; the site is about 700 meters west of Michi-no-Eki Fukushima and about 500 meters from Ozasao Elementary School, which asked parents to pick up children by car at dismissal.

Fukushima Ozaso, Fukushima

Witnessed on the way back from fishing

Fukushima Kuroiwa, Fukushima

Around 22:00 on May 19, a driver in Ono Town, Oaza Iide Aza Nagakubo, sighted an animal believed to be a bear about 1.5 meters long. The animal left toward the eastern forest; no human injuries were reported and police have urged local residents to be cautious.

Ono Iitoyo, Fukushima

In Tamura City, Funabiki-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, a bear-like animal about 1 meter long was sighted multiple times from the evening of the 18th into the morning of the 19th. No damage to people or property has been confirmed so far, and the police are urging caution.

Tamura Funehikimachi-Monju, Fukushima

In Sasayama, Funabiki-machi, Tamura City, around 3:00 p.m. on May 18, 2026, one bear approximately 1 meter long was sighted. No injuries or damage to property have been confirmed so far, and police are urging caution.

Tamura Funehikimachi-Kanameta, Fukushima

In Nagata 2-chome, Nihonmatsu City, at around 11:10 on May 18, a single bear approximately 1 meter long was observed on residential premises.

Nihonmatsu 永田鍛治内, Fukushima

On 2026-05-18 in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, a bear appeared on the grounds of a private residence and was sighted about one meter from the house.

Nihonmatsu 金色, Fukushima

At around 06:10 on May 16, 2026, a man walking in Omori Nishiomote, Fukushima City, spotted a single bear about 1.5 meters long. The bear returned to the mountains afterward, and no injuries have been reported.

Fukushima Omori, Fukushima

On May 16 at around 06:00, a resident in Niiza, Nihonmatsu City, saw a single bear about 1.5 meters long wandering in another house's grounds, climb over a fence, and head into the bushes. About an hour and a half later a bear was seen on a road, and around 16:00 one was seen in a cemetery; sightings were reported elsewhere in the prefecture and police have increased vigilance.

Nihonmatsu 新座, Fukushima

On the morning of May 16, 2026, a bear was seen around 05:20 near the municipal Seventh Junior High School in Azusagawa, Yonezawa City; about an hour later another bear was reported in Mansei-cho Ushimori at 06:20, and roughly an hour after that a bear was sighted in Hachimabara 4-chome. All observed bears were about 1 meter long; it is unknown whether they were the same individual. The police have increased patrols and the prefecture issued a bear sighting warning.

Yonezawa Takei, Yamagata

At around 16:15 on May 15, 2026, a woman spotted one bear about 0.5 meters long at the Japanese garden Shiki-no-Sato Ryokusui-en in Iwane Kawara, Motomiya City. The bear stayed on the premises briefly but then left toward the adjacent Iokawa River, and the city placed box traps in the nearby woods along the river.

Motomiya 岩根, Fukushima

A bear sighting was reported in Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture. The article does not specify the exact location, time, or whether there were any damages.

Motomiya 本宮, Fukushima

At about 18:45 on May 13, 2026, a single bear approximately 1 meter long was seen in Iwane Aza Nakamaeda, Motomiya City, running toward the forest and running away.

Motomiya 岩根, Fukushima

At around 05:05 on May 13, in a municipal road in Shibukawa Kubo, Nihonmatsu City, a woman in her 50s walking her dog sighted a bear about 1 meter long entering the forest from the road. The witness was not injured, and police are on alert in the area.

Nihonmatsu 上原, Fukushima

On May 12, 2026, bear sightings were reported in Higashi 1-chome, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. Around 17:00 a bear estimated about 1 meter long was seen, and around 19:00 a bear about 80 cm long was sighted; the city has issued a caution to residents.

Yonezawa Shimohanazawa, Yamagata

Around 17:00 on the 12th, a bear was sighted in Higashi 1-chome, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture.

Yonezawa Shimohanazawa, Yamagata

At around 06:50 on May 12, in the area of the Ban-etsu Expressway (downward 75.6 km post) in Iwane, Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture, a man in his 60s witnessed a bear about 80 cm long crossing the highway from north to south. The bear went up the road embankment and no human injuries were reported; police are patrolling the area and urging caution.

Motomiya 岩根, Fukushima

On May 12, 2026, a single bear about 80 cm long was seen crossing the Ban-etsu Expressway in Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Motomiya 岩根, Fukushima

At around 07:40 on the 8th, a bear was sighted in Misawa, Yonezawa City.

Yonezawa Sekine, Yamagata

A bear sighting was reported in Ōtama Village, Fukushima Prefecture. The bear is believed to be a single individual, and authorities have urged caution.

Otama Tamanoi, Fukushima

On 2026-05-07 a bear sighting was reported in Iizaka-machi, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. The article does not mention any injuries or capture.

Fukushima, Fukushima

In Fukushima City's Matsukawamachi Mizuhara Minamisawa area, a single bear about 1 m long was seen standing with its paw on a guardrail. No human or property damage was reported; the bear's subsequent whereabouts are unknown and police are patrolling by patrol car.

Fukushima Matsukawamachi-Mizuhara, Fukushima

At about 11:25 on May 5, a woman driving in Mizuhara Minamisawa, Matsukawa-machi, Fukushima City, sighted a single bear about 1 meter long standing with its paws on a guardrail. No human or property damage has been reported so far.

Fukushima Matsukawamachi-Mizuhara, Fukushima

Around 12:20 PM on May 2, 2026, a man in his 30s walking near the Arakawa in Niida Shimokawahara, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, reported seeing one animal believed to be a bear to the Fukushima police station. The police said the animal's body length is unknown, and the sighting occurred near the Fukushima Toyota Crown Arena.

Fukushima Yagita, Fukushima

At about 06:30 on May 2, 2026, a man in his 60s driving in Iizaka-cho, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, spotted a bear about 1 meter long crossing a municipal road and reported it to the police. The bear left following an irrigation channel and its whereabouts are unknown; there were no injuries. Police are patrolling the area and urging caution.

Fukushima, Fukushima

Around 10:50 a.m. on the 30th, an woman in her 80s spotted a single bear about 1 meter long on a farm road in the Harasekawara area of Nihonmatsu City. No human injuries or property damage have been confirmed.

Nihonmatsu 原セ川原, Fukushima

At around 15:25 on April 28, 2026, a runner spotted a single bear about 1.0 m long on the Arakawa riverbank at Niida Nishi-Shimokawara in Fukushima City. No human or property damage was reported; Fukushima police increased patrols and a large walking event scheduled for the next day was canceled.

Fukushima Yoshikura, Fukushima

At around 15:23 on April 28, 2026, a man jogging along the Arakawa near Niiida Nishishimokawara in Fukushima City sighted a bear approximately 1 meter long. No injuries or damage have been reported; police and city officials are searching and keeping the area under watch.

Fukushima Yoshikura, Fukushima

Around 18:30 on April 27, a single bear about 1.2 meters long was sighted on a road in Hiraiishi Aza Uehara, Fukushima City.

Fukushima Fushiogami, Fukushima