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This 312 km route runs from Tsuruoka to Numata, passing through Yamagata, Gunma, and Niigata. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 19 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiuonuma, Niigata.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
Found bear tracks of unknown body length in the field.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Fled toward the mountains to the north
Mitsuke, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Motomachi 1-chome, Mitsuke City, Niigata.
Mitsuke, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted in a parking lot in Motomachi 1, Mitsuke City, shortly after 6 a.m.
Mitsuke, Niigata
At around 14:00, one bear (approximately 1.5 m in body length) was sighted on the road about 400 m southeast of Yutagawa Community Center. It moved westward and its subsequent whereabouts are unknown. / Environment: near houses / Size: adult
Tsuruoka 藤沢, Yamagata
Found bear tracks in the rice paddy.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Heard the vocalizations of an animal believed to be a bear.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted in the Shukuda area of Murakami City.
Murakami, Niigata
One bear, estimated at about 1.5 meters long, was sighted in Fujisawa, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
Tsuruoka 藤沢, Yamagata
While traveling on National Route 345, one bear (approximately 1.2 m in body length) was sighted near Aikōen (Aikoen) of Tsuruoka City. The bear then moved toward the park behind Aikōen. / Environment: Forest / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 岡山, Yamagata
One bear was sighted on the main prefectural road Nagoka-Mitsuke-Sanjo line in Tai-cho, Mitsuke City, Niigata.
Mitsuke, Niigata
One bear was sighted within Tai Town (on the Nagaoka-Mitsuke-Sanjo Prefectural Road). It fled westward.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Bear tracks about 15 cm in length were confirmed within Honmyō-chō.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Observed one bear approximately 1.0 m in body length moving along the riverbank.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
One bear was sighted near the Fudōson (sacred guardian statue) beside Prefectural Route Nagaoka-Mitsuke-Sanjo. It fled north.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Around 6:45 PM on June 14, a bear was sighted in Yuhara, Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture.
Minakami Yubara, Gunma
A bear was sighted on the Kariyata cycling road in Tsukimidai 2, Mitsuke City.
Mitsuke, Niigata
One bear was sighted near the community center. The bear fled to the south.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Around 4:00 PM on June 14, a bear was sighted in Tsukimi-dai 2-chome, Mitsuke City, Niigata, and was seen moving.
Mitsuke, Niigata
While passing through the area, sighted one bear.
Tainai, Niigata
I encountered an Asiatic black bear (Tsukinowaguma) crossing the road on a forest road heading to Mount Omine / Ōmine-numa.
Minakami, Gunma
Found bear tracks in the field.
Uonuma, Niigata
Spotted one bear while passing through the area.
Tainai, Niigata
While traveling on Prefectural Route 472, observed one bear. It moved eastward (toward the mountains).
Nagaoka, Niigata
A bear about 1 m long was sighted on a prefectural road in Sagisucho, Nagaoka City.
Nagaoka, Niigata
While driving on municipal road Shindoyama Koshi Route 354, I sighted one bear. When I approached, it fled toward the valley side.
Nagaoka, Niigata
Observed one bear.
Tainai, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Kibogaoka, Kamo City.
Kamo, Niigata
A single bear about 1 meter in body length moved into the mountains east of Kibōgaoka’s eastern hillside.
Kamo, Niigata
Discovered tracks believed to be those of a bear while working in the fields.
Tainai, Niigata
School staff discovered footprints in a field believed to be from a bear.
Tainai, Niigata
Discovered tracks believed to be bear footprints while working in the fields.
Tainai, Niigata
Discovered bear tracks in the field.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
A bear (body length 1 m) was sighted south of the Kamo Community Disaster Prevention Center. It then crossed National Route 112 from east to west and went into the mountains. / Size: Adult
Tsuruoka 加茂, Yamagata
Discovered footprints believed to be from a bear while doing farm work.
Tainai, Niigata
Bear traces (claw marks and broken branches) were confirmed on a persimmon tree within the grounds of a private residence in the Takayasu-ji area.
Sanjo, Niigata
I sighted an animal believed to be a bear near the mountainside.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
One cub about 50 cm long was sighted in Nagahashi, Tainai City.
Tainai, Niigata
While passing through the area, a single bear was sighted.
Tainai, Niigata
Environment: road / Size: young animal
Tsuruoka 下清水, Yamagata
I saw one cub entering the woods.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Around 7:30 on 2026-06-07, a bear was sighted near Muica Snow Resort in Kokuriyama, Minamiuonuma City.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
On the mountain trail heading toward Shaka no Reisen, I encountered it just past a curve. When I honked the horn, it ran off from the road into the mountains.
Minakami Namezawa, Gunma
A single bear was sighted on Prefectural Route Mitsuke-Tochio. It fled into the mountains to the north.
Mitsuke, Niigata
A bear about 50 cm long was sighted on the major prefectural road Mitsuke-Tochio Line in Hosoe, Mitsuke City.
Mitsuke, Niigata
A single bear was sighted moving from the mountain side toward the sea side in the Atsumi (Atumi) area, Kuretubo, on the Atsumi government office grounds. Exact location unknown. Environment: roadway. Size: adult.
Tsuruoka 温海, Yamagata
One bear about 0.5 meters long was sighted on a prefectural road in Hosoe 1, Mitsuke City, shortly before 6:30 p.m.
Mitsuke, Niigata
A trail camera set up near farmland at the Atsumi government office captured one bear (about 1.3 m in length). / Environment: near residences / Size: adult
Tsuruoka 五十川, Yamagata
While passing nearby, I spotted a figure that appeared to be a bear in the bushes.
Tainai, Niigata
One bear was sighted on Prefectural Road Mitsuke-Tochio. It crossed the road and fled into the mountains to the south.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Two sets of footprints in the rice paddy. Their destination is unknown.
Uonuma, Niigata
A 1-meter bear was sighted walking in a rice paddy in Takasaka, Tsuruoka City, around 7:30 a.m.
Tsuruoka 高坂, Yamagata
Around 2:00 PM on June 2, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted on a prefectural road in Honcho 3, Mitsuke City. It was very close to houses.
Mitsuke, Niigata
Went toward the Ebie settlement
Murakami, Niigata
Spotted one cub while passing through the area.
Tainai, Niigata
One bear (body length unknown) sighted on the trail inside Takadate-yama / Environment: forest / Size: unknown
Tsuruoka 金沢, Yamagata
Bear footprints were found in the field.
Murakami, Niigata
I discovered bear tracks in the field.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
One bear cub sighted near the Ōmine Mountain trailhead
Shibata, Niigata
Found feces believed to be from a bear
Nagaoka, Niigata
One bear, about 1 meter long, was sighted in Sakamachi area, Murakami City.
Murakami, Niigata
Moved toward the Tainai City direction
Murakami, Niigata
Bear on the Mount Tamagawa trail, approx 500m elevation up
Minakami, Gunma
A single bear-like animal was captured on the security camera.
Tainai, Niigata
A single bear (about 1 m in size) moved north near the push-button traffic signal intersection on National Route 290.
Murakami, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter in size was sighted behind the company’s hill. Afterwards, it left the area and went into the mountain.
Sanjo, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted behind a company in Kotaki, Sanjo City.
Sanjo, Niigata
A bear was sighted in Shida, Minakami Town, Gunma, around 8:10 a.m.
Minakami Moroda, Gunma
One bear was sighted near Okina Bridge along the Toshiotaisei municipal road while traveling from Onuki toward Kuwatansan Pass.
Nagaoka, Niigata
A bear about one meter long was sighted. It then left toward the mountains.
Sanjo, Niigata
Bear tracks discovered in the field
Uonuma, Niigata
Around 6:00 on 2026-05-26, a bear was sighted in Yagatahara-machi, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture.
Numata Yakatabaramachi, Gunma
A cub crossed the road in front of the Tanigawadake Drive-In when heading from Mt. Tanigawa toward Yubiso.
Minakami, Gunma
Observed one bear behind the house. It moved toward the mountains.
Tainai, Niigata
Bear-like animal tracks were found in Kitashinbo, Murakami City.
Murakami, Niigata
Discovered bear tracks under the persimmon tree.
Minamiuonuma, Niigata
A bear about 1 meter long was sighted on the walkway at Bengeizawa in the Kamo district of Tsuruoka, and moved toward the mountains.
Tsuruoka 加茂, Yamagata
One bear (about 1 m in body length) was sighted on the pedestrian path within Benkeisawa. It then headed toward the mountain. / Size: adult
Tsuruoka 加茂, Yamagata
One bear (about 1 m) crossed the Rinkō Road Iwafune Port Line from the seaside toward the residential area.
Murakami, Niigata
A bear was sighted on a prefectural road in Iwafune, Murakami City.
Murakami, Niigata
Peak activity at 8:00 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, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 19 of them.
The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiuonuma, Niigata.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 8:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 312 km route runs from Tsuruoka to Numata, passing through Yamagata, Gunma, and Niigata. In the past 30 days, 80 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 19 of them. The latest sighting was reported 1 day ago near Minamiuonuma, Niigata. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
