This 164 km route from Zenkō-ji Temple to Toyama Castle crosses Nagano, Toyama, and Niigata. Over the past 30 days, 37 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 5 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 Itoigawa, Niigata; the location sits about 95.3 km from the start of the route and 1.7 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 week ago at Itoigawa, Niigata, sitting about 94.7 km from the start and 13 m off the route line.
This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
3 places within 1 km of your route, passing through Nagano, Toyama, Niigata.
Before 06:00 on the 7th, a bear about 1.5 meters long was sighted in the mountains of Aomi Miyahanamachi, Itoigawa City, about 100 meters from a residence (Itoigawa police).
Itoigawa, Niigata
Sighted one bear
Itoigawa, Niigata
On May 7, 2026, a bear sighting was reported in Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture. The article does not give specific details on the exact location, time, or number of bears.
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
Size: juvenile
Hakuba Kamishiro, Nagano
One bear sighted
Toyama, Toyama
One bear spotted heading toward the back/eastern mountain
Itoigawa, Niigata
Around 06:00 on May 1, 2026, a single bear was sighted near the Kamiichi River in Uonomi, Namerikawa (Toyama). The city and police patrolled but did not find the bear. Tanaka Elementary closed temporarily, Namerikawa Junior High canceled club activities and adjusted student dismissal, and Namerikawa High School postponed an event; authorities urged caution.
Namerikawa, Toyama
Near the left bank by the mouth of the Kamichigawa River, someone witnessed what appeared to be a bear poke its head out of the bushes.
Namerikawa, Toyama
A resident discovered signs that a bear had eaten bamboo shoots in the mountain forest.
Asahi, Toyama
Around 06:00 on May 1, 2026, one bear was sighted near the riverbank about 200 meters upstream from the mouth of the Kamiichi River in Namerikawa City, Toyama Prefecture. Police searched the area but found no trace or footprints; nearby Tanaka Elementary School closed temporarily and surrounding schools and residents were affected.
Namerikawa, Toyama
Toyama City conducted an emergency cull on the afternoon of April 30 and eliminated one bear at 12:59 PM that had caused a human injury. The culled bear was a male approximately 150 cm long, weighing 110 kg and estimated to be 7 years old; it was found hiding in a thicket about 200 meters north of the attack site.
Toyama, Toyama
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s walking was attacked, and on the afternoon of April 30 an emergency shooting operation killed a male bear measuring 150 cm and weighing 110 kg (estimated 7 years old). The cull took place in a thicket about 200 meters north of the site where the woman was attacked.
Toyama, Toyama
Bear tracks discovered
Kamiichi, Toyama
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
Size: juvenile
Hakuba, Nagano
In Toyama City, a woman in her 40s was attacked; a single male bear approximately 150 cm long, about 110 kg in weight, and estimated to be 7 years old was found in a thicket about 200 meters north of the scene and was culled.
Toyama, Toyama
On the night of April 29, 2026, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear in a residential area of Toyama City. A prefectural police helicopter equipped with a thermal scope detected a heat source from above and pinpointed the bear's hiding place; authorities issued an Asiatic black bear sighting warning.
Toyama, Toyama
On the night of April 29, 2026, in a residential area of Mori 2-chome, Toyama City, a woman in her 40s walking a dog was attacked by a bear. On the following day, April 30, Toyama City and hunting association members patrolled the area and warned residents to be careful.
Toyama, Toyama
On the night of April 29, 2026, a woman in her 40s walking in a residential area of Mori, Toyama City, was attacked by a bear that jumped out from an irrigation channel, suffering scratches to her face, head, and neck. A police helicopter using a thermal scope located the bear's heat signature; ground hunters fired 12 times and confirmed the bear was culled. The animal weighed about 85 kg, and Toyama Prefecture issued a Tsukinowaguma (Asian black bear) sighting warning until May 31.
Toyama, Toyama
At around 8:00 p.m. on the 29th, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear on a street in Mori 2-chome, Toyama City. She was walking alone when the bear scratched her, injuring her face and head, and she was taken to a city hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening.
Toyama Mori 2-chome, Toyama
Around 19:40–19:45 on April 29, a woman in her 40s walking her dog in a residential area of Mori 2-chome, Toyama City, was attacked by a bear said to have jumped out from a drainage canal; she sustained scratches to her face, head and neck and was taken to hospital. Police, hunting association members and city staff searched the area but did not find the bear.
Toyama, Toyama
Personal injury caused by a bear
Toyama, Toyama
At around 19:40 on April 29, 2026, in a residential area of Mori, Toyama City, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear that jumped out from a nearby irrigation channel while she was walking her dog; she sustained scratches to her face, head, and neck and was transported to hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening, and police, hunters' association members, and city staff have been searching with helicopters and drones since the morning of the 30th, but the bear has not been found.
Toyama, Toyama
At around 19:40 on April 29, 2026, in Mori, Toyama City, a woman in her 40s was attacked by a bear that suddenly appeared while she was walking her dog; she suffered scratches to her face, head and neck and was taken to hospital. Her life is not in danger, and police and hunting association members searched the area but the bear's whereabouts remain unknown.
Toyama, Toyama
At around 19:40 on April 29, 2026, a woman in her 40s walking a dog in a residential area of Mori 2-chome, Toyama City, was apparently attacked by a bear and sustained scratch wounds to her face; she was taken to hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening; police are patrolling the area and hunters' association members are scheduled to join searches the following morning.
Toyama, Toyama
On April 29, 2026, shortly after 19:30, a 45-year-old woman walking a dog was attacked by a bear in a residential area of Mori, Toyama City, suffering serious injuries to her face, head and neck. The next day, after a helicopter search detected a heat source, Toyama City authorized an emergency cull and hunters shot and killed one adult male bear approximately 150 cm long and estimated at 110 kg.
Toyama, Toyama
Around 19:30 on the previous day, a woman in her 40s walking her dog in a residential area of Toyama City was attacked by a bear that emerged from an irrigation canal, suffering scratches to her face and head. She was taken to hospital by nearby residents and is not in life-threatening condition; police and the city, together with a hunters' association, are conducting searches and patrols but the bear has not been found and its size is unknown.
Toyama, Toyama
In a residential area of Toyama City, a woman in her 40s who was walking her dog was attacked by a bear that jumped out of an irrigation canal, suffering injuries to her face and head. The incident occurred on the evening of April 29, 2026.
Toyama, Toyama
Observed one bear moving toward the river.
Itoigawa, Niigata
Size: juvenile
Nagano Nakajo-Sumeragi, Nagano
Around 17:00 on April 24, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted in Sotoba, Itoigawa City, and was observed very close to a residence (Itoigawa Police).
Itoigawa 大字外波, Niigata
Sighted one bear
Itoigawa 大字外波, Niigata
Hakuba, Nagano
On April 24, 2026, a bear sighting was reported in Itoigawa City. The article provides no specific location, time, or number of bears.
Itoigawa 中央, Niigata
A local resident who went to collect bamboo shoots sighted a bear about intermediate in size between a cub and an adult.
Uozu 宮津, Toyama
Around 15:50 on April 14, 2026, a resident sighted what appeared to be a bear cub in the Shimotata forest area of Osawano, Toyama City (about 150 m east of National Route 41). There are a housing complex and a certified childcare center nearby; police and the hunters' association patrolled but could not find the bear and are considering setting a box trap.
Toyama Sakuragicho, Toyama
Size: adult (fully grown)
Hakuba Hokujo, Nagano
Peak activity at 19:00 with 7 incidents
Ursus thibetanus japonicus
Safety picks and trail essentials, top-rated on Amazon and Rakuten.
For mountain rescue, call 110 (police). They will coordinate with local rescue teams.
Draw any route in Japan and get the same bear-safety report, built around the trip you're actually taking.
No comments yet.
Over the past 30 days, 37 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of this route, including 5 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 Itoigawa, Niigata; the location sits about 95.3 km from the start of the route and 1.7 km off the route line.
Recent sightings on this route peak around 19:00. Bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk.
This 164 km route from Zenkō-ji Temple to Toyama Castle crosses Nagano, Toyama, and Niigata. Over the past 30 days, 37 bear sightings have been recorded within 5 km of the route, including 5 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 Itoigawa, Niigata; the location sits about 95.3 km from the start of the route and 1.7 km off the route line. The closest sighting to the route line was reported 1 week ago at Itoigawa, Niigata, sitting about 94.7 km from the start and 13 m off the route line. This is an active bear corridor. Rerouting or rescheduling your hike is strongly advised.
