เส้นทางขับรถ Tateshina-Akiha Ward, Niigata

Size: cub/juvenile

Ueda, Nagano

Size: adult

Sakaki Nakanojo, Nagano

While driving, a person spotted one bear running along a field path. It was moving west.

Joetsu, Niigata

Ueda, Nagano

An adult bear was sighted in the forest behind a house in Kamishiojiri, Ueda City.

Ueda Kamishiojiri, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Nakano Kasahara, Nagano

A member of the public walking nearby sighted one bear. It moved south.

Nagaoka, Niigata

Size: Adult

Shinano Oi, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iizuna Kurai, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Sakaki Minamijo, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nagawa, Nagano

While working in the field, one bear was sighted. It moved toward the mountain side.

Joetsu, Niigata

Size: Adult (fully grown)

Sakaki, Nagano

Around 14:20 on 2026-05-28, a bear was sighted in Teramachi, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture.

Joetsu, Niigata

A single bear approximately 100 centimeters in body length was sighted near the service road of National Route 18, about 350 meters east of Teramachi Community Center in the Oaza Teramachi area.

Joetsu, Niigata

A bear about 1 meter in size was sighted behind the company’s hill. Afterwards, it left the area and went into the mountain.

Sanjo, Niigata

A bear about 1 meter long was sighted behind a company in Kotaki, Sanjo City.

Sanjo, Niigata

Ueda Ueno, Nagano

A bear about one meter long was sighted. It then left toward the mountains.

Sanjo, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Mukaihashi, Joetsu City, around 5:30 AM on May 26.

Joetsu, Niigata

One bear was sighted near the Mukaihashi-kita intersection in the Mukaihashi area (Oaza Mukaihashi).

Joetsu, Niigata

A single bear approximately 100 centimeters in body length was sighted 250 meters east of the Takada West Gateball House.

Joetsu, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Teramachi, Joetsu City, around 5:15 AM on May 26.

Joetsu, Niigata

Size: adult

Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano

A 1m-long bear was sighted in a residential area of Teramachi 2-chome, Joetsu City, Niigata.

Joetsu, Niigata

Size: Unknown

Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Kiyono, Nagano

A bear was sighted in Nakago-ku Miyanohara, Joetsu City, Niigata on 2026-05-23 afternoon.

Joetsu, Niigata

One bear was sighted near the Miyanohara railroad crossing on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway. It moved toward the mountains.

Joetsu, Niigata

Around 2:50 AM on May 23, a bear was sighted in Tai, Itakura Ward, Joetsu City.

Joetsu, Niigata

Ueda, Nagano

In Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, bear sightings had been occurring near urban areas and schools; on the morning of the 20th one bear was found in the Yashiro area and was culled. The city reported sightings in Yashiro and Awasa districts since the afternoon of the 19th.

Chikuma Yashiro, Nagano

On May 20 at around 07:30, Chikuma City captured one Asiatic black bear (male adult, 1.3–1.5 m long, 78.5 kg) on a sandbar of the Sano River between Inariyama and Hachiman; local hunters culled the bear at the city's request. It is believed to be the same individual that was sighted multiple times in the city center on the 19th; no injuries were reported.

Chikuma Inariyama, Nagano

In Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, on the morning of May 20, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was found; at around 07:30 prefectural bear-response personnel captured it with a tranquilizer gun and it was subsequently culled by a hunters' association. A passerby reported seeing a bear just after 05:30 along National Route 18 near Sakurado, and the animal found along the Sano River in the Yahata area is believed to be the same individual repeatedly sighted since the previous day.

Chikuma Ussawa, Nagano

On the morning of May 20, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was found in the Sano River flowing between Yawata and Inariyama in Chikuma City; a member of the hunters' association used a tranquilizer gun to capture and euthanize it around 7:30 AM. Sightings had been reported repeatedly in the city since May 19.

Chikuma Yawata, Nagano

Around 07:30 on the 20th, a male bear found on the riverbank of Sanogawa in the Inariyama area of Chikuma City was subdued with a tranquilizer gun, captured and subsequently euthanized. The bear weighed 78.5 kg, and the city believes it is the same individual that had been sighted repeatedly in urban areas since the 19th.

Chikuma Yashiro, Nagano

On the morning of May 20, an adult male bear was tranquilized, captured, and euthanized on a sandbar in the Sano River in Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture. The bear weighed 78.5 kg and measured about 1.3–1.5 m; its stomach was reported empty, and the city believes it is the same individual linked to multiple sightings in the urban area since May 19.

Chikuma Inariyama, Nagano

Just after 5:30 AM on the 20th, a passerby spotted a bear near Habu Junior High School in Sakurado, Chikuma City. Shortly after 7:30 AM, prefectural bear-response personnel found, captured, and euthanized one bear on the riverbank in Inariyama, Chikuma City; there were no injuries.

Chikuma Imojiya, Nagano

Size: Adult

Chikuma Kuwabara, Nagano

On the afternoon of May 19 in Chikuma City (Awasa area), a bear estimated at about 1 meter long was repeatedly sighted in the urban area; a security camera captured it crossing a road and running away at around 13:20. The city and police searched the area but did not find the animal, and nearby elementary schools implemented precautions such as parent pick-ups and cancelling after-school activities.

Chikuma Awasa, Nagano

On the afternoon of May 19, 2026, a single bear about 1 meter long was sighted in urban areas of Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, around Yashiro's Susuki Suijinsha (Susukigi Shrine), along Route 18, and in a supermarket parking lot. Police and the city patrolled and warned residents; nearby elementary and middle schools asked parents to pick up children and suspended after-school club activities and conducted group dismissals. No human injuries were reported.

Chikuma Awasa, Nagano

One bear about 100 centimeters in body length was sighted 400 meters west of the Shimoaono Community Hall in the Ao-no area.

Joetsu, Niigata

At around 11:20 on May 19, a single bear approximately 100 cm long was sighted about 400 m west of Shimo-Aono Kaikan in Aono, Joetsu City, and a report was made to the city hall. Joetsu Police and the city are urging local residents to be cautious.

Joetsu, Niigata

Size: Adult

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Higashijo, Nagano

Several marathon runners who were participating in the ongoing event were sighted

Kashiwazaki, Niigata

On May 17, 2026, one bear was sighted around 10:00 AM on the course along Prefectural Route 73 Kujiranami-Miyakawa Line in Okouchi Nitta, Kashiwazaki City, and the organizers suspended the 26th Kashiwazaki Shiokaze Marathon at 12:15 PM. No injuries were reported.

Kashiwazaki, Niigata

This morning at around 10:00, a report was received that one bear was sighted along Prefectural Route 73 (Kujiranami-Miyagawa Line) in the Okochi Shinden area. ※As an aside, because of this the marathon (Shiokaze Marathon) was canceled. https://www.city.kashiwazaki.lg.jp/cgi-bin/smart_alert.php/1/detail/1193943 (The input screen overlaps with the keyboard, so I can’t paste the link there.)

Kashiwazaki 大字大河内新田, Niigata

Size: Adult

Suzaka, Nagano

Size: adult

Nagawa 大門, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Takayama, Nagano

A bear was spotted on the course of the Kashiwazaki Seaside Marathon, and the race was halted on May 17, 2026. Runners located before the sighting point were boarded onto buses and evacuated.

Kashiwazaki, Niigata

Size: Adult

Takayama, Nagano

At around 06:40 on May 16, a report was received of one bear about 100 cm long sighted near the Route 18 Fujisawa Snow Removal Station in Fujisawa, Nakago Ward, Joetsu City. The Nakago Ward office received the report and warned local residents to be cautious.

Joetsu, Niigata

While driving on National Route 18, one bear was sighted. It moved across the west-facing slope.

Joetsu, Niigata

Size: adult (fully grown)

Takayama Takai, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iizuna Kurai, Nagano

Size: adult

Shinano Kumasaka, Nagano