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  4. Wakkanai to Hokuto Drive

Wakkanai to Hokuto Drive

Driving · Very High Risk · 643 km · 8h 54m · 2 stops · 64 sightings · Saved May 7, 2026 · Last updated 29 minutes ago
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20
Incidents in last 7 days
64
Incidents in last 30 days
15 hours ago
Latest

Safety Summary

This 643 km route runs from Wakkanai to Hokuto within Hokkaido. In the past 30 days, 64 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 20 of them. The latest sighting was reported 15 hours ago near Iwamizawa, Hokkaido.

This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.

Brown bears in Hokkaido are larger and more dangerous than mainland black bears. Exercise extreme caution.

Your Route

Route Profile

Highlights Along Your Route (1)

1 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Hokkaido.

Teshio River
Low Risk

Teshio River

Hokkaido

5 incidents

Teshio River
Low Risk

Teshio River

Hokkaido

5 incidents

Route Timeline

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S
Wakkanai, Hokkaido
Very High Risk 643 km 8h 54m 64 sightings within 5 km
Iwamizawa, Hokkaido

Sightings location 3: Near 1180 Shibun-chō, Iwamizawa City: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 3:00 AM

Iwamizawa, Hokkaido

Official ·15 hours ago

Location of traces 1: Near Taisho Pond, Midorigaoka, Iwamizawa City: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11:00 AM

Iwamizawa 総合公園, Hokkaido

Official ·18 hours ago

Trace information 1 Iwamizawa City Midorigaoka Taisho Pond: Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM

Iwamizawa 総合公園, Hokkaido

Official ·18 hours ago
Show 61 more
Iwamizawa, Hokkaido

Around 3:00 AM on August 8, an animal believed to be a bear was sighted in Shibuncho, Iwamizawa City.

Iwamizawa, Hokkaido

News ·18 hours ago

August 7, Reiwa 8 (2026), 5:30

Yakumo, Hokkaido

Official ·1 day ago

A man driving on a town road in Akaiwa, Morimachi, spotted one bear on the road.

Mori Akaigawa, Hokkaido

News ·2 days ago
Oshamanbe, Hokkaido

Oshamanbe, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago
Mori, Hokkaido

Sightings No. 26 — August 6, Reiwa 8 (2026): Crossing from the Mori Town side (north side) to the Nanae Town side (south side) near the Greenpia Onuma entrance gate.

Mori, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago
Yakumo Misugicho, Hokkaido

Aug. 6, R8 (1895), 18:30

Yakumo Misugicho, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago

August 6, R8 (Taisho/Reiwa era?) 18:30

Yakumo Misugicho, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago
Mori Akaigawa, Hokkaido

Sightings No. 27 — August 6, 2026: On municipal road Akaigawa Route 9 (near Akaigawa 390-3), crossed from the mountain side (east) to the Route 5 side (west).

Mori Akaigawa, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago

Bibai 癸巳町奔美唄, Hokkaido

Official ·2 days ago
Yakumo Atsuta, Hokkaido

August 5, Reiwa 8 (R8) — 19:25

Yakumo Atsuta, Hokkaido

Official ·3 days ago
Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

A bear was sighted in Shosanbetsu, Shosanbetsu Village, Hokkaido.

Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

News ·4 days ago
Mori, Hokkaido

Sightings No. 25 — August 4, 2026 — near 4.5th station of Mount Komagatake trail

Mori, Hokkaido

Official ·4 days ago

[Hokuto City 20] Traces

Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

Official ·4 days ago

A bear was sighted in Komagatake, Mori Town, Hokkaido, around 12:30 PM on 2026-08-04.

Mori, Hokkaido

News ·4 days ago

August 4 — Damage to crops/food discovered

Nanae Fujishiro, Hokkaido

Official ·4 days ago
Yakumo Oshin, Hokkaido

Aug 2, Reiwa 8 (2026) 18:30

Yakumo Oshin, Hokkaido

Official ·6 days ago
Yakumo Atsuta, Hokkaido

Aug. 2, Reiwa 8

Yakumo Atsuta, Hokkaido

Official ·6 days ago

A sweet corn field in Oshironai-cho, Mori Town, Hokkaido, was damaged by a bear.

Mori, Hokkaido

News ·1 week ago

[34] 8/1 4:30 Ushiume (Utenae) Along National Route 36 near the bus stop “Nature Center Entrance,” approximately 400 m southeast in a field, corn was damaged. Found brown bear tracks about 15 cm in the field.

Tomakomai, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Yakumo Yamazaki, Hokkaido

July 31, Reiwa 8 (2026), 9:00 AM

Yakumo Yamazaki, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Embetsu Marumatsu, Hokkaido

Witnessed crossing National Route 232 from west to east (from the seaside toward the mountains).

Embetsu Marumatsu, Hokkaido

1 week ago
Mori Nigorikawa, Hokkaido

Sighted No. 23 — July 30, 2026 — Dodo 778 Nurukawa Onsen Line: crossed from the mountain side (north) to the river side (south)

Mori Nigorikawa, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

R0.7.29 7:00

Yakumo Oshin, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

[Hokuto 17] Traces

Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

Signs present (scat)

Kuromatsunai Toei, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Chitose, Hokkaido

Kasuga 2-chome — around 11:02 AM — cycling road near Kasuga Rest Corner — one bear sighted

Chitose, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Hokuto Fumizuki, Hokkaido

Hokuto 18 — Evidence (feeding damage)

Hokuto Fumizuki, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

Crop damage / traces No. 21 — July 28, 2026 — Komagatake fields 92–96 — sugar beets 0.01 ha — footprints 10 cm

Mori Komagatake, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

Crop damage No. 22 — July 28, 2026 — Field at Himekawa 61 — Sugar beet, 0.0225 ha — Footprint: 13 cm

Mori Himekawa, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago
Mori Komagatake, Hokkaido

Sighting No. 20 — July 27, Reiwa 8: Crossed the road at Komagatake 240-2 from the mountainside (west side) to the National Route 5 side (west side).

Mori Komagatake, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

[Hokuto City 15] Sighting

Hokuto, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

[Hokuto City 14] Sighting

Hokuto, Hokkaido

Official ·1 week ago

One bear was sighted in Kameda, Mori Town.

Mori, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago

Three brown bears were sighted on Route 67 in Shimonoyu, Yakumo Town.

Yakumo Shimonoyu, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

A bear was sighted in Shosambetsu, Shosambetsu Village.

Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

Around 7:55 on 2026-07-23, a bear was sighted in Shosanbetsu, Shosanbetsu Village, Hokkaido.

Shosanbetsu, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Numata Hokuryu, Hokkaido

A bear was sighted in Horyu, Numata Town, Hokkaido.

Numata Hokuryu, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Chitose, Hokkaido

Near 776 Hokushinano, around 9:34 PM — one bear-like animal approximately 1 meter in body length sighted.

Chitose, Hokkaido

Official ·2 weeks ago
Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

Hokuto City 13 — Evidence (feeding damage)

Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

Official ·2 weeks ago

On the night of 2026-07-21, a bear was sighted in Kitanoshino, Chitose City, Hokkaido.

Chitose, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Shiraoi, Hokkaido

Three bears, believed to be a mother bear and cubs, were seen walking south on a road near a residence in Shadai, Shiraoi Town.

Shiraoi, Hokkaido

News ·2 weeks ago
Oshamanbe Shizukari, Hokkaido

Oshamanbe Shizukari, Hokkaido

Official ·2 weeks ago
Wakkanai 声問村, Hokkaido

[No.24] July 20, 2026: Time: 10:15 AM Location: Wakkanai City, Kozetomura Oaza, Eboku (Ekitoku) Content: Brown bear sighting

Wakkanai 声問村, Hokkaido

Official ·2 weeks ago
Mori, Hokkaido

Sightings No. 18 — July 19, Reiwa 8 (2026): Approximately 1 km from the Komagatake trailhead gate toward the summit, crossed from the right (east) side to the left (west) side.

Mori, Hokkaido

Official ·2 weeks ago

Oshamanbe Hirasato, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

A bear was sighted in Izumisawa, Chitose City, and it was seen captured on camera.

Chitose, Hokkaido

News ·3 weeks ago
Chitose, Hokkaido

[28] Around 11:00 PM — Near Hokuyō 5-chome: One animal resembling a bear about 1 meter in body length was sighted.

Chitose, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago
Chitose, Hokkaido

[26] Izumisawa: Around 0:05 AM — An automatic trail camera installed near the Chuo Expressway Chitose IC at Aoba Park captured one bear.

Chitose, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

July 15, R8 (17:30)

Yakumo, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago
Tomakomai, Hokkaido

[30] 7/15 8:35 National Route 276 - 3 km from Takaoka Second Cemetery: one brown bear approximately 2 m in length sighted. The bear departed to the west.

Tomakomai, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

Around 5:30 PM on 2026-07-13, a bear was sighted in Miyaginosawa, Sunagawa City, Hokkaido.

Sunagawa 宮城の沢, Hokkaido

News ·3 weeks ago
Sapporo Hitsujigaoka, Hokkaido

[No.42] July 13, 2026 (Monday): Location: Near Hitsujigaoka 1, Toyohira Ward. Description: Brown bear sighted on camera. Address: https://www.google.com/maps?q=43.005025,141.420409

Sapporo Hitsujigaoka, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago
Hokuto Murauchi, Hokkaido

[Hokuto City 12] Traces

Hokuto Murauchi, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago
Tomakomai, Hokkaido

[29] 7/13 18:45 — While walking, a person spotted what appeared to be a brown bear about 50 cm in body length standing on a mountainside approximately 70 m from Shinkawa No. 3 Bridge over the Tomakomai River on the north side of Yamate Town.

Tomakomai, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

Bibai 盤の沢町本町, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

[Hokuto City 11] Traces

Hokuto Fumizuki, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago
Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

[Hokuto City 10] Tracks

Hokuto Mukaino, Hokkaido

Official ·3 weeks ago

A bear was sighted in Bangobe, Rumoi Village, Rumoi City.

Rumoi, Hokkaido

News ·3 weeks ago

[Hokuto City 9] Traces

Hokuto Nozaki, Hokkaido

Official ·1 month ago

A bear was sighted in Kaigen, Toyotomi Town, Hokkaido, around 16:40 on July 10.

Toyotomi Kaigen, Hokkaido

News ·1 month ago
Nanae, Hokkaido

Around 9:00, a mother bear and cub were sighted near the Onuma entrance gate of the Shirotai Skyline; they moved into the eastern forest.

Nanae, Hokkaido

Official ·1 month ago
G
Hokuto, Hokkaido
Total Distance: 643 km

When Are Bears Most Active?

Peak activity at 16:00 with 2 incidents

Brown bears on your route

Hokkaido Brown Bear

Hokkaido Brown Bear

Ursus arctos yesoensis

Range
Hokkaido
Size
200–400 kg
Active
Dawn & dusk

Sharing space safely

  • ·Make noise as you walk so they hear you coming
  • ·Carry bear spray; deploy at 5 m if charged
  • ·If contact happens, lie face down with fingers laced behind your neck. They typically disengage once you stop moving
  • ·Don't run, don't climb

Safety Checklist

Hiking in bear country

Safety picks and trail essentials, top-rated on Amazon and Rakuten.

Emergency Contacts

110
Police
119
Fire/Ambulance

For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Route

How many bear sightings are on this route?

In the past 30 days, 64 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 20 of them.

When and where was the most recent bear sighting near this route?

The latest sighting was reported 15 hours ago near Iwamizawa, Hokkaido.

What time of day are bears most active here?

Recent sightings on this route peak around 16:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.

Is this route safe to travel right now?

This 643 km route runs from Wakkanai to Hokuto within Hokkaido. In the past 30 days, 64 bear sightings were reported within 5 km of the route. The past 7 days account for 20 of them. The latest sighting was reported 15 hours ago near Iwamizawa, Hokkaido. This is an active bear corridor. Drive through with full caution, but rerouting is the safer choice.

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