This 40.7 km route from Yonezawa Castle to Kitakata crosses Yamagata and Fukushima. Over the past 30 days, 3 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 2 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 5 days ago near Kitakata 松山町鳥見山, Fukushima; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 132 m off the route line.
With activity this close, make noise as you hike, carry bear spray, and avoid the forest at dawn and dusk.
1 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Yamagata, Fukushima.
At around 9:45 a.m. on the 3rd, the Kitakata police reported that one bear, approximately 70 cm in length, was sighted in the mountain forest at Tomimiyama Aza Sanchobu, Matsuyama-machi, Kitakata City.
Kitakata 松山町鳥見山, Fukushima
On May 3, 2026 at about 07:10, a roughly 1-meter-long bear was spotted on the riverbed in Nakano-me Ko, Miyoshi, Shiokawa-machi, Kitakata City. Later the same day at about 09:45, a roughly 70-cm bear, believed to be a cub, was seen in woodland in Torimiyama, Matsuyama-machi while a man was cleaning a drainage channel; no injuries were reported and police have urged residents to be cautious.
Kitakata 塩川町三吉, Fukushima
At around 06:30 on April 9, 2026, a local woman spotted a single bear about 1 meter long walking west across a rice field in Takadota aza Murahigashi, Toyokawa-machi, Kitakata City. The bear's subsequent whereabouts are unknown and no injuries have been reported. Police are patrolling the area and warning residents to be cautious.
Kitakata 字中島, Fukushima
Peak activity at 6:00 with 1 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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Over the past 30 days, 3 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 2 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku).
The most recent sighting was reported 5 days ago near Kitakata 松山町鳥見山, Fukushima; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 132 m off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 6:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 40.7 km route from Yonezawa Castle to Kitakata crosses Yamagata and Fukushima. Over the past 30 days, 3 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 2 in the past week. This route runs through Asian black bear habitat (native to Honshu and Shikoku). The most recent sighting was reported 5 days ago near Kitakata 松山町鳥見山, Fukushima; the location sits about 36.9 km from the start of the route and 132 m off the route line. With activity this close, make noise as you hike, carry bear spray, and avoid the forest at dawn and dusk.
