เส้นทางเดินป่า Mitsuke-Kaichi School

One adult bear, probably a male

Nozawaonsen Toyosato, Nagano

Size: Adult

Matsumoto Gojo, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iiyama Tokisato, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Nozawaonsen Toyosato, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iiyama Hachisu, 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

It ran toward the tunnel from the Togaya direction.

Nagaoka 谷内二丁目, Niigata

Bear footprints were found in a field along Route 117 in Nakajo, Tokamachi City, on May 3, 2026 at 14:30. The location is about 300 m north of Nakajo Elementary School; the city warns people to avoid forests and thick vegetation.

Tokamachi, Niigata

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

Iiyama, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Sakae Toyosakae, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iiyama Asahi, Nagano

Just after 8:00 AM on May 1, 2026, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted near a pond in Nishikawaguchi, Nagaoka City; it was approximately 100 meters from a private residence, according to Ojiya Police.

Nagaoka, Niigata

Spotted one bear beside a carp pond.

Nagaoka, Niigata

Tracks believed to be from a bear were found in the field.

Nagaoka, Niigata

Bear tracks discovered in the field

Tokamachi, Niigata

At around 00:40 on April 29, a single bear approximately 1.5 meters long was spotted on the road in Higashiterao, Matsushiro, Nagano City; a passing car honked its horn and the bear ran away, according to a report. Police searched the area but did not find the animal and have urged local residents to be cautious.

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Higashiterao, Nagano

In the early hours of April 29, 2026, a single bear about 1.5 meters long was sighted on a road in Higashiterao, Matsushiro-cho, Nagano City; before 00:30 a passing driver honked and reported the bear left. Police searched the area but did not find the animal and no damage was reported; residents nearby were warned to be cautious.

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Higashiterao, Nagano

Size: adult

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Johoku, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Iiyama Hachisu, Nagano

Crossed the road near the summit of Kannonzaka from the mountain and moved toward the fields.

Mitsuke, Niigata

On April 28, 2026 at about 07:40, a bear was sighted near Yoshida Junior High School in Koizumi, Tokamachi City, and the Tokamachi police are on alert. Earlier the same day at around 06:00, a juvenile bear about 50 cm long was sighted in a field along Prefectural Route 528 in Takashima, Tokamachi City.

Tokamachi, Niigata

While passing nearby, the team leader spotted one cub about 50 cm tall.

Tokamachi, Niigata

At around 06:00 on April 28, a juvenile bear about 50 cm long was sighted in farmland along Prefectural Route 528 in Takashima No.2 area of Tokamachi City, Niigata. At about 07:40 the same day, another bear was reported near Yoshida Junior High School in Koizumi, and the Tokamachi Police are warning residents and investigating whether the sightings are related.

Tokamachi, Niigata

A person gathering wild mountain vegetables spotted a bear. The bear climbed up the hill behind the shrine.

Nagaoka 谷内二丁目, Niigata

Size: juvenile

Suzaka Hitaki, Nagano

While driving on Prefectural Route 442, one cub was sighted. It moved westward.

Nagaoka 水沢, Niigata

At around 07:25 on 2026-04-23, one bear was sighted on a mountain path in Aketod, Nagaoka City; the sighting location was about 100 meters from nearby houses, and the police and city issued a warning. Earlier, cub sightings had increased since April 6, and a capture trap was set on April 10.

Nagaoka 明戸, Niigata

Spotted one bear while driving on a municipal road.

Nagaoka, Niigata

While driving on a farm road, a single bear was sighted.

Nagaoka, Niigata

Size: juvenile

Iiyama Nakasone, Nagano

Size: adult

Sakae Toyosakae, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Sakae Hokushin, Nagano

Size: unknown

Kijimadaira Ogo, Nagano

On April 19 at around 10:39, one bear cub and one adult bear were sighted in woodland near a house in Muramatsu-cho, Nagaoka City. The cub was very close to the house, the adult was about 150 meters from the house and measured about 1.2 meters; the Nagaoka Police and city office have warned nearby residents to be cautious.

Nagaoka 村松町, Niigata

At around 10:30 a.m. on April 19, 2026, a cub and an adult bear about 1.2 meters long were sighted in woodland near a residence in Muramatsu-machi, Nagaoka City. The cub was seen close to the house and the adult was observed about 150 m from the house; the Nagaoka police, in cooperation with the city, are issuing warnings and conducting patrols.

Nagaoka 村松町, Niigata

Two bears (a mother and a cub) sighted near the bus turnaround

Nagaoka 村松町, Niigata

Size: Unknown

Sakae Hokushin, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Kijimadaira Kamikijima, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nagano Toyonomachi-Kawatani, Nagano

While on duty on National Route 253, I sighted one animal that appeared to be a bear. It was moving toward the mountains.

Tokamachi 八箇乙, Niigata

Size: Adult

Kijimadaira Kamikijima, Nagano

A female bear about 1.0 m long was found caught in a drum-can trap near the Wagotagawa River in Maki-buchi 4, Nagaoka City, around 06:30. Because sightings had continued in the residential area, the city carried out an emergency shooting at 09:46 and culled the bear.

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

On April 12 around 06:30, city staff in Nagaoka (Makibuchi 4) found one bear caught in a set trap. The city's wildlife damage response team, together with hunting association members, culled the bear after 09:30 the same day; its body length was about 1 meter.

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

Around 06:30 on April 12, 2026, in Makibuchi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, a female bear about 1 meter long was found caught in one of the drum-can traps. Because the site was within a human residential area, the city implemented traffic restrictions and warned residents, then carried out an emergency shooting at 09:46.

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

Nagaoka City announced on the 12th that it culled one bear by emergency shooting; the bear had been appearing since the 6th. The bear had been sighted near the embankment of the Wago Dagawa River in Makibuchi 4-chome, Nagaoka City.

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

Nakano, Nagano

Just after 16:30 on April 11, a bear about 0.5 m long was sighted on a prefectural road in Onuki, Nagaoka City; the animal was confirmed very close to houses, according to the Nagaoka Police Station.

Nagaoka 小貫, Niigata

Spotted a cub about 50 cm on Prefectural Route 138 (Tochio-Tai Line). It moved to the south-facing slope.

Nagaoka 小貫, Niigata

A caller reported sighting one bear cub across the river from their residence. Direction of movement unknown.

Nagaoka 巻渕, Niigata

A single bear about 50 cm long was sighted near the Wagotagawa river in Makibuchi 4, Nagaoka City at around 17:00 on April 9, and police warned local residents after receiving the report. The same individual is believed to have been seen in the same neighborhood on April 6 (about 1 m on a city road) and April 8 (about 50 cm on the riverbank).

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

Shortly before 17:00 on April 9, 2026, a young bear about 50 cm long appeared behind a house in Makibuchi, Nagaoka City, and a man who filmed it reported it to the police. The city had received sightings of the same individual on April 6 and 8, and installed a capture trap on April 10 (the second trap).

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata

Size: Adult

Nagano Toyonomachi-Toyono, Nagano

At around 22:50 on April 8, 2026, a driver spotted and reported a single bear about 70 cm long in Kabeta, Nakano City, Nagano Prefecture. Police responded but did not locate the bear; the area includes houses and a junior high school, and police patrolled school routes on the morning of April 9.

Nakano Hekida, Nagano

A report was received of a small bear about 50 cm seen on the east side of a house. It ran across the river and escaped into the brush on the opposite bank.

Nagaoka 巻渕, Niigata

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. on April 8, 2026, a single bear about 50 cm long was sighted near the Wago River in Makibuchi 4-chome, Nagaoka City, very close to houses. The bear reportedly moved toward the mountains, and the Nagaoka Police urged residents to be cautious.

Nagaoka 巻渕四丁目, Niigata