This 134 km route from Hokuto to Hakuba crosses Yamanashi and Nagano. Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 17 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano; the location sits about 87.7 km from the start of the route and 4.4 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 month ago at Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano, sitting about 133.3 km from the start and 153 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
4 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Yamanashi, Nagano.
Around 10:20 on May 4, a bear about 1.0–1.1 m long was sighted near the restaurant grounds in Nakashinden, Haramura (Suwa District), Nagano Prefecture; police and hunters responded. In the afternoon it was immobilized with a dart gun, captured and subsequently euthanized by the village authorities; no injuries or property damage were reported.
Hara, Nagano
At around 10:20 on May 4, 2026, a single adult bear (about 1.1 m long, approximately 45 kg) was sighted on the grounds of a restaurant/residence and nearby house in Shinmida, Hara Village, Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture. Police, hunting association members and village staff responded and the bear was sedated with a tranquilizer gun and captured at about 13:40; it was subsequently euthanized. No injuries or damage to buildings were reported.
Hara, Nagano
Near the Chuo Expressway Suwa-Minami interchange in Hara village, a bear was seen on a home's premises after 10:00 AM and was captured with a tranquilizer gun about four hours later on another home's grounds. The animal, about 1.1 meters long and believed to be a young individual, had repeatedly raided nearby beehives and was culled by the village after capture. No injuries were reported.
Fujimi, Nagano
On April 30 at around 14:30, the owner of a restaurant near the Misayama signal intersection in Hara Village reported seeing a roughly 1-meter bear in the garage. Village staff, police and hunting association members arrived but the bear had already left; footprints and droppings were found nearby, and no damage has been confirmed.
Hara, Nagano
Around 14:30 on April 30, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long entered the garage of Restaurant Petika in Hara village, Nagano Prefecture, destroyed a beehive box kept years earlier and left droppings. The bear got briefly caught in a garden net, freed itself and fled into the woods; the village set two box traps.
Hara, Nagano
Size: Unknown
Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 堀金烏川, Nagano
Size: cub
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
A single bear appeared in the garden of a private home in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, and was captured with a tranquillizer gun. Experts warn the bear is likely awake from hibernation and searching for food.
Azumino 豊科南穂高, Nagano
On May 3 in Hotaka Ariake, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, a roughly 1‑meter bear stayed in the backyard of a residence for about four hours and was captured and euthanized with a tranquilizer gun by hunters around 14:30. The area mixes fields and houses, and no injuries to residents were reported.
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
On May 3, 2026, an adult bear (about 1 meter long) was sighted around 09:00 in the yard of a private home in Hotaka Ariake, Azumino City, Nagano. City officials, police and local hunters guarded the area, and the bear was captured with a tranquilizer gun around 14:30 and subsequently euthanized. No injuries or property damage were reported.
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
On 2026-05-03, one bear appeared in the garden of a private home in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture and remained there for about four hours before the hunting association captured it with a tranquillizer gun. The bear was an adult about one meter long; there were no injuries or property damage.
Azumino 豊科南穂高, Nagano
Size: adult
Azumino, Nagano
Size: adult
Azumino, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Azumino, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高有明, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ikeda Nakau, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Ikeda Hirotsu, Nagano
Bear Sighting Information This is a notice from the Azumino City Agricultural Land and Forestry Division regarding a bear sighting. On April 15, around 7:00 AM, a sighting of one cub was reported on the riverbed approximately 300m south of the Takasegawa-nishi intersection in the Hotaka Kita-Hotaka area. If you live nearby or are going out, please carry noise-making items such as a radio or bell, and avoid approaching bushes as much as possible. Also, please do not leave food or other attractants outside the house. If you sight a bear, please contact the Agricultural Land and Forestry Division (direct: 71-2432, main: 71-2000). Azumino City Hall, Agricultural Land and Forestry Division
Azumino Kitahosono, Nagano
Size: Adult
Azumino 穂高北穂高, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Shiojiri Kaminishijo, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Ōmachi, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Hakuba Kamishiro, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: Adult
Ōmachi, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Ikeda Hirotsu, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Ōmachi, Nagano
Size: adult (fully grown)
Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano
Peak activity at 9:00 with 3 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
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Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 17 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano; the location sits about 87.7 km from the start of the route and 4.4 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 9:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 134 km route from Hokuto to Hakuba crosses Yamanashi and Nagano. Over the past 30 days, 30 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 17 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 1 day ago near Azumino 穂高牧, Nagano; the location sits about 87.7 km from the start of the route and 4.4 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 month ago at Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano, sitting about 133.3 km from the start and 153 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
