News Black Bear Sakata 新町, Yamagata Apr 30, 2026, 05:30 PM

Description

Around 02:30 on May 1, 2026, a single adult bear about 1 meter long was seen by a passerby near the Hikarigaoka Athletic Stadium in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, at an intersection where a national and prefectural road meet, and was reported to the city. No further sightings have been reported, and the city has urged residents to keep warehouse and garage entrances closed.

Note: Official sources provide information in Japanese only. This description has been machine translated for your convenience.

Summary

In the early morning, a roughly 1-meter-long bear was spotted in the Hikarigaoka area of Sakata City and reported by a passerby, prompting the city to warn residents. The sighting occurred near the intersection southeast of Hikarigaoka Athletic Stadium; no further reports have been made and the city urges people to keep warehouse and garage doors closed.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

1

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 05:30 PM

Address

Coordinates

38.930441, 139.826918

Sources