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This 192 km route runs from Toyama Castle to Nagano, passing through Toyama, Nagano, and Niigata. In the past 30 days, 59 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Itoigawa, Niigata.
This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
3 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Toyama, Nagano, Niigata.
On 2026-05-23 evening, one bear was seen moving in Omi Hokutocho, Itoigawa City.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Observed one bear heading east on municipal road Meibikiyama Line.
Itoigawa, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Nakago-ku Miyanohara, Joetsu City, Niigata on 2026-05-23 afternoon.
Joetsu, Niigata
One bear was sighted near the Miyanohara railroad crossing on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway. It moved toward the mountains.
Joetsu, Niigata
Around 2:50 AM on May 23, a bear was sighted in Tai, Itakura Ward, Joetsu City.
Joetsu, Niigata
One bear sighted on the mountain side of the snow-resistant intrusion-prevention fence
Asahi, Toyama
Around 4:30 PM on May 22, a bear was sighted in Teraji, Itoigawa City.
Itoigawa, Niigata
One bear cub was sighted on the grounds of the Science Education Center in Nishinakaji. It was moving toward the mountain side.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Two bears seen running away from the parking lot
Kamiichi, Toyama
Around 8:00 PM on May 21, a bear-like animal was sighted in Tate, Kamiichi Town, Toyama Prefecture.
Kamiichi, Toyama
One adult bear sighted on a trail running course in the Yoko-o area of Asahi Town (in the forested area).
Asahi, Toyama
One adult bear sighted on a trail-running course in the forested mountain area.
Toyama, Toyama
Size: Adult
Suzaka, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Takayama, Nagano
Size: Adult
Takayama, Nagano
At around 06:40 on May 16, a report was received of one bear about 100 cm long sighted near the Route 18 Fujisawa Snow Removal Station in Fujisawa, Nakago Ward, Joetsu City. The Nakago Ward office received the report and warned local residents to be cautious.
Joetsu, Niigata
While driving on National Route 18, one bear was sighted. It moved across the west-facing slope.
Joetsu, Niigata
Size: adult (fully grown)
Takayama Takai, Nagano
Observed one animal believed to be a bear.
Tateyama, Toyama
Sighted one animal believed to be a bear.
Toyama, Toyama
Sighted one bear
Itoigawa, Niigata
In Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture, near the scene where an 86-year-old man was attacked by a bear and injured, a woman in her 60s also sustained injuries believed to have been caused by a bear. The woman went on her own to a hospital in the prefecture.
Tateyama, Toyama
At around 08:10 on May 14, 2026, a municipal employee commuting in a residential area of Yonedamachi 2-chome, Toyama City, reported seeing a small black animal resembling a bear cub. Police and the local hunting association searched the area for about two hours but found no footprints or droppings; another sighting and animal traces were reported along the Idagawa in Yao-machi, and the city has urged residents to be extremely cautious.
Toyama, Toyama
Witnessed what appeared to be a cub crossing the prefectural road.
Toyama, Toyama
Around 08:00 on May 14, 2026, a municipal employee in Yoneda-cho 2-chome, Toyama City, reported seeing a 'cub-like' animal crossing the road. The city, hunters' association and police searched the area but found no bear or traces; nearby Toyoda Elementary School canceled outdoor practice as a precaution.
Toyama, Toyama
According to Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture, near the scene where an 86-year-old man was attacked by a bear, a woman in her 60s also suffered injuries believed to have been caused by a bear. The woman went to a hospital in the prefecture on her own.
Tateyama, Toyama
A bear was reportedly sighted in a residential area of Toyama City, and the city and the hunters' association are searching for where it appeared.
Toyama, Toyama
A black bear (Tsukinowaguma) approached a camera in the mountain area of Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, with a beehive reported nearby. An adult bear was also confirmed on the Iwate University campus (Morioka City decided not to carry out emergency shooting and the university canceled all classes), and another individual appeared in a residential area in New Jersey, USA.
Joetsu, Niigata
On May 14, 2026, multiple sightings of a bear-like animal, reportedly a cub, were reported in a residential area near National Route 8 on the outskirts of Toyama City; a commuting Toyama City employee made a report. The animal was said to have crossed a four-lane main road (two lanes each way). A hunters' association survey found no traces, and the city has urged residents to be cautious.
Toyama, Toyama
Size: Adult
Iizuna Kurai, Nagano
Size: Adult
Nagano Tanaka, Nagano
Spotted a mother bear and cub near rice paddies about 300 meters south of Takano Elementary School's sports ground.
Toyama, Toyama
Spotted a mother bear and cub near rice fields about 300 meters south of Takano Elementary School's playground.
Tateyama, Toyama
Size: adult
Shinano Kumasaka, Nagano
One bear-like animal was sighted near the summit area of the Kanayama Park lift in the Oaza Onuki area.
Joetsu, Niigata
Before 06:00 on the 7th, a bear about 1.5 meters long was sighted in the mountains of Aomi Miyahanamachi, Itoigawa City, about 100 meters from a residence (Itoigawa police).
Itoigawa, Niigata
Sighted one bear
Itoigawa, Niigata
On May 7, 2026, a bear sighting was reported in Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture. The article does not give specific details on the exact location, time, or number of bears.
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
Size: Adult
Iiyama Hachisu, Nagano
At around 07:00 on May 4, 2026, one bear was sighted near a blueberry farm in Kanemata, Myoko City. The bear's length was unknown; the sighting occurred close to houses and police warned nearby residents to be cautious.
Myoko, Niigata
Around 06:02 on May 3, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted near the Teramachi interchange on National Route 18 in Yanaiida-machi, Myoko City, and a passerby reported it. Police and the city warned nearby residents and carried out alerting activities.
Myoko, Niigata
Around 06:00 on the 3rd, a bear was reported sighted in the parking lot of Arai Shopping Center in Kurihara 4, Myoko City. According to the Myoko Police, the bear was about 1 meter long, then appeared to move toward the urban area and was also reported near municipal housing in Nakagawa before 07:00, prompting the police to urge caution.
Myoko, Niigata
A passerby in the vicinity spotted one bear heading south.
Myoko, Niigata
One bear sighted
Toyama, Toyama
One bear spotted heading toward the back/eastern mountain
Itoigawa, Niigata
Around 06:00 on May 1, 2026, a single bear was sighted near the Kamiichi River in Uonomi, Namerikawa (Toyama). The city and police patrolled but did not find the bear. Tanaka Elementary closed temporarily, Namerikawa Junior High canceled club activities and adjusted student dismissal, and Namerikawa High School postponed an event; authorities urged caution.
Namerikawa, Toyama
Near the left bank by the mouth of the Kamichigawa River, someone witnessed what appeared to be a bear poke its head out of the bushes.
Namerikawa, Toyama
Around 06:00 on May 1, 2026, one bear was sighted near the riverbank about 200 meters upstream from the mouth of the Kamiichi River in Namerikawa City, Toyama Prefecture. Police searched the area but found no trace or footprints; nearby Tanaka Elementary School closed temporarily and surrounding schools and residents were affected.
Namerikawa, Toyama
A resident discovered signs that a bear had eaten bamboo shoots in the mountain forest.
Asahi, Toyama
Toyama City conducted an emergency cull on the afternoon of April 30 and eliminated one bear at 12:59 PM that had caused a human injury. The culled bear was a male approximately 150 cm long, weighing 110 kg and estimated to be 7 years old; it was found hiding in a thicket about 200 meters north of the attack site.
Toyama, Toyama
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s walking was attacked, and on the afternoon of April 30 an emergency shooting operation killed a male bear measuring 150 cm and weighing 110 kg (estimated 7 years old). The cull took place in a thicket about 200 meters north of the site where the woman was attacked.
Toyama, Toyama
Bear tracks discovered
Kamiichi, Toyama
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s was attacked; a single male bear approximately 150 cm long, about 110 kg in weight, and estimated to be 7 years old was found in a thicket about 200 meters north of the scene and was culled.
Toyama, Toyama
On the night of April 29, 2026, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear in a residential area of Toyama City. A prefectural police helicopter equipped with a thermal scope detected a heat source from above and pinpointed the bear's hiding place; authorities issued an Asiatic black bear sighting warning.
Toyama, Toyama
Around 19:30 on the previous day, a woman in her 40s walking her dog in a residential area of Toyama City was attacked by a bear that emerged from an irrigation canal, suffering scratches to her face and head. She was taken to hospital by nearby residents and is not in life-threatening condition; police and the city, together with a hunters' association, are conducting searches and patrols but the bear has not been found and its size is unknown.
Toyama, Toyama
In a residential area of Toyama City, a woman in her 40s who was walking her dog was attacked by a bear that jumped out of an irrigation canal, suffering injuries to her face and head. The incident occurred on the evening of April 29, 2026.
Toyama, Toyama
Size: adult (fully grown)
Iiyama Hachisu, Nagano
In Myoko City (Shi) on April 27 at around 10:30 a.m., a passerby spotted a bear about 1 meter long walking through rice fields from the Yashiro River toward the settlement and reported it to the police. The sighting was about 100 meters from houses, and the police and Myoko City are patrolling the area and issuing warnings.
Myoko, Niigata
At about 10:30 a.m. on April 27, 2026, a single bear approximately 1 meter long was sighted near the Yashiro Community Sports Center area in Myoko City (Shi). The bear was seen walking through rice fields and crossing a road toward residential houses; police and the city warned residents and carried out patrols, but the bear later disappeared from view.
Myoko, Niigata
Peak activity at 6:00 with 9 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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In the past 30 days, 59 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Itoigawa, Niigata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 6:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 192 km route runs from Toyama Castle to Nagano, passing through Toyama, Nagano, and Niigata. In the past 30 days, 59 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 10 of them. The latest sighting was reported 2 days ago near Itoigawa, Niigata. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.
