This 334 km route from Utsunomiya to Maebashi crosses Tochigi, Fukushima, and Gunma. Over the past 30 days, 32 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 6 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 12 hours ago near Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma; the location sits about 318.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 3 weeks ago at Sano 出流原町, Tochigi, sitting about 273.5 km from the start and 9 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
2 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Tochigi, Fukushima, Gunma.
At around 12:10 PM on April 21, 2026, three bears (one adult about 1.0 m and two cubs about 60 cm) were sighted in a grove near the Takeko Industrial Park in Takeko, Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture. Bear droppings were found at the scene, and police and city authorities are patrolling and issuing warnings asking people not to approach.
Kanuma, Tochigi
Kanuma, Tochigi
A bear cub was sighted for two consecutive days in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture (article published 2026-04-16). The sightings involved at least one cub.
Kanuma 今宮町, Tochigi
A bear was reported sighted on a road in Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. The article did not specify the exact time or location of the sighting, nor whether anyone was injured.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
On April 26, 2026, a bear was sighted on a road in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture. The article reports the sighting; no detailed circumstances or information on injuries were provided.
Nasu 富岡, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. The full article is behind a paywall on the Shimotsuke Shimbun, so detailed information is not accessible.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
At around 12:10 PM on April 21, 2026, three bears (one adult about 1.0 m and two cubs about 60 cm) were sighted in a grove near the Takeko Industrial Park in Takeko, Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture. Bear droppings were found at the scene, and police and city authorities are patrolling and issuing warnings asking people not to approach.
Kanuma, Tochigi
Kanuma, Tochigi
A bear was reported in Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture. The article reports the sighting but does not specify the exact location or whether there were any damages or injuries.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
At around 10:20 on April 18, 2026, a man driving on a prefectural road in Kumakura, Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture, sighted a bear about 1 meter long crossing the road. No damage has been confirmed in the area; the police are patrolling by patrol car and, in cooperation with the Nishigo village office, are urging residents to be cautious.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
On April 18 at around 10:20 AM in Kumakura Okanezuka, Saigō-mura, a single bear approximately 1 m in length was seen crossing the road.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
A bear sighting report was issued for Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture on 2026-04-15. The article body provides no specific details on the exact location, time, or number of bears.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
On April 14, 2026, a single bear was reported sighted in Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture, according to local newspapers. The reports mention sightings on roads and in forested areas, but do not give precise locations or indicate any damage or injuries.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma
A bear was reported sighted in a mountain forest in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. The full article is behind a paywall, so further details are not available.
Sano 高砂町, Tochigi
Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma
Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma
Around 04:00 on May 4, 2026, one bear was sighted in a forest about 100 m south of the Sano Police Station Kanma substation in Kanma-cho, Sano City. The bear's body length is unknown.
Sano 梅園町, Tochigi
Sano 梅園町, Tochigi
At around 18:00 on April 26, 2026, a single bear approximately 1 m long was sighted in Hatakawauchi, Tomuro-machi, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture (about 200 m southwest of Asono Gakuen Compulsory Education School).
Sano 戸室町, Tochigi
A bear was reported sighted on a road in Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. The article did not specify the exact time or location of the sighting, nor whether anyone was injured.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
On April 26, 2026, a bear was sighted on a road in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture. The article reports the sighting; no detailed circumstances or information on injuries were provided.
Nasu 富岡, Tochigi
On 2026-04-26, a bear was sighted near a compulsory education school in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. The article reports the sighting but does not provide details such as the time of the sighting or whether there were any injuries.
Sano 葛生西三丁目, Tochigi
Sano 戸室町, Tochigi
Around 18:00 on April 25, 2026, a suspected Asian black bear was sighted in Ashikaga City, near 100 m east of Kotani Benten in Honjo 1-chome. This location is about 1.7 km north of Orihime Park where a bear was seen on April 17.
Ashikaga 江川町, Tochigi
A bear was sighted in Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. The full article is behind a paywall on the Shimotsuke Shimbun, so detailed information is not accessible.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
On 2026-04-23, a bear was reported sighted in a field in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. The article did not provide details of the sighting or whether there were any damages or injuries.
Ashikaga 雪輪町, Tochigi
On the morning of April 21, 2026, one bear was sighted on the riverside in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture.
Ashikaga 雪輪町, Tochigi
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
A bear was reported in Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture. The article reports the sighting but does not specify the exact location or whether there were any damages or injuries.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
At around 10:20 on April 18, 2026, a man driving on a prefectural road in Kumakura, Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture, sighted a bear about 1 meter long crossing the road. No damage has been confirmed in the area; the police are patrolling by patrol car and, in cooperation with the Nishigo village office, are urging residents to be cautious.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
On April 18 at around 10:20 AM in Kumakura Okanezuka, Saigō-mura, a single bear approximately 1 m in length was seen crossing the road.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
At around 20:00 on April 17, 2026, a single bear approximately 2 meters long was sighted on a road about 950 m southeast of the Terakubo Town Community Center in Terakubocho, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture.
Sano 寺久保町, Tochigi
Around 18:30 on April 17, 2026, a bear believed to be an Asiatic black bear (tsukinowaguma) was sighted at Orihime Park in Tomoecho, Ashikaga City. The report was based on Ashikaga City's official X account; the sighting occurred in an urban area near Orihime Shrine and the city hall.
Ashikaga 巴町, Tochigi
A single bear was sighted on a road in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. Further details are reported in a paywalled article on Shimotsuke Shimbun Digital.
Sano 高砂町, Tochigi
Ashikaga 巴町, Tochigi
Sano 出流原町, Tochigi
A bear sighting report was issued for Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture on 2026-04-15. The article body provides no specific details on the exact location, time, or number of bears.
Nishigo 大字熊倉, Fukushima
At around 20:02 on April 14, 2026, a bear about 1 m long was sighted near Tanoinu Park in Tanoinu-cho, Sano City. An earlier report on April 7 at about 17:50 recorded a sighting of one cub-sized bear near Kuzuu Higashi in Sano City.
Sano 田之入町, Tochigi
On April 14, 2026, a single bear was reported sighted in Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture, according to local newspapers. The reports mention sightings on roads and in forested areas, but do not give precise locations or indicate any damage or injuries.
Nasushiobara 共墾社, Tochigi
Sano 田之入町, Tochigi
Peak activity at 10:00 with 3 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 32 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 6 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 12 hours ago near Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma; the location sits about 318.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 10:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 334 km route from Utsunomiya to Maebashi crosses Tochigi, Fukushima, and Gunma. Over the past 30 days, 32 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 6 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 12 hours ago near Maebashi 石倉町, Gunma; the location sits about 318.9 km from the start of the route and 4.5 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 3 weeks ago at Sano 出流原町, Tochigi, sitting about 273.5 km from the start and 9 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
