เส้นทางเดินป่า Niigata Science Museum-Okazaki Castle

Size: adult

Iiyama Toyoda, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Iwano, Nagano

Two bear sighting reports were received from residents in Miyabuchi 3, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Miyabuchi-honmura, Nagano

Size: unknown

Matsumoto Miyabuchi-honmura, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nakano Nanase, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Nozawaonsen Mushiu, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nozawaonsen Mushiu, Nagano

Around 12:20 on 2026-06-13, a bear was sighted in Shimauchi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

Matsumoto Shinbashi, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Matsumoto Anazawa, Nagano

Size: adult

Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano

Size: adult

Matsumoto Shimauchi, Nagano

One bear was found trapped in a snare along a forest road in Kawagishi, Okaya City, and was culled.

Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano

Size: Adult

Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Iida 大休, Nagano

While driving on National Route 252, I sighted one bear. It was moving toward the mountains on the west side.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Around 17:10 on June 11, a bear was sighted in Kami-shima, Tatsuno Town.

Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano

A bear was sighted in Okada-Shimookada, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Okada-Shimookada, Nagano

A 110 emergency call reported seeing a bear in Jōyama, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Joyama, Nagano

Size: adult

Achi, Nagano

Size: young cub

Tatsuno 大字上島, Nagano

A bear was sighted in Kanai, Shiojiri City on 2026-06-11.

Shiojiri Kanai, Nagano

Size: Adult

Matsumoto Joyama, Nagano

Size: Juvenile

Shiojiri Midoriko, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Minowa 大字中箕輪, Nagano

One bear was sighted on the grounds of a commercial facility in Tokimizu, Ojiya City, Niigata, and then left for adjacent woodland.

Ojiya City, Niigata

Size: Unknown

Chikuma Mori, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Shiojiri Kaminishijo, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Azumino 三郷明盛, Nagano

Size: Adult

Azumino, Nagano

Fled toward the Shinano River due to the approach of a car

Nagaoka, Niigata

Three sets of bear tracks confirmed in farmland beside the Tokamachi City General Park tennis courts.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Bear traces (claw marks and broken branches) were confirmed on a persimmon tree within the grounds of a private residence in the Takayasu-ji area.

Sanjo, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Shimmura, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Niimura, Nagano

On 2026-06-08, tracks like those of a bear were found in Hakka-ko, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Size: Adult

Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano

Size: Adult

Okaya Kawagishi, Nagano

One bear, about 1 m long, was sighted beside a city road in Kawaguchiushigashima, Nagaoka City.

Nagaoka, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Wada, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Wada, Nagano

One bear was sighted moving from farmland behind the elementary school gymnasium toward the mountains.

Tokamachi, Niigata

While driving on Prefectural Route 528, I witnessed two bears — a parent and its cub — moving toward the mountains to the south.

Tokamachi, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Sasa-ga, Matsumoto City, around 5:30 a.m. on June 6.

Matsumoto, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Neba, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nagano Shinonoi-Yokota, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iiyama Oike, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Iida 宮ノ上, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Shimonishijo, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Iiyama, Nagano

Around 18:45 on 2026-06-04, an animal believed to be a bear was sighted in Soga, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture.

Shiojiri Daimon, Nagano

A bear was sighted in Sasaga, Matsumoto City, Nagano, around 08:50 on 2026-06-04.

Matsumoto, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Nakano Kasahara, Nagano

Size: adult

Ina Nishimachi, Nagano

Size: cub (juvenile)

Nozawaonsen Hirabayashi, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Matsumoto Kukohigashi, Nagano

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

Nagaoka, Niigata

A 45-year-old farm worker woman nearby called 110 to report seeing a bear in Sasaga, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto, Nagano

Size: Adult

Matsumoto Kukohigashi, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Ina Nishiminowa, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Hirooka-Harashinden, Nagano

Size: Adult

Okaya, Nagano

Size: Adult

Nagano Aokijimamachi-Aokijima, Nagano

Two types of tracks (total of 3 bears) were confirmed in farmland near the former Tokamachi Ski Resort site. 1) Tracks of one adult bear 2) Tracks of one mother and one cub

Tokamachi, Niigata

Size: adult

Azumino 豊科光, Nagano

One bear was sighted walking through a field in Oizumi Shinden, Nishiminowa, Ina City, Nagano; later hunters and officials also confirmed it and saw it head north.

Ina, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Iida 白山町, Nagano

Size: adult

Sakae Hokushin, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Shimonishijo, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano

One bear was sighted on Prefectural Route 49. It crossed the prefectural road from the Shinano River side and moved into the mountain on the west side.

Tokamachi, Niigata

A bear was sighted in Shimokijima, Iiyama City.

Iiyama Shimokijima, Nagano

Size: adult

Kijimadaira, Nagano

Size: unknown

Kijimadaira Ogo, Nagano

Around 18:35 on 2026-05-29, one bear was sighted in Shimadachi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

Matsumoto Shimadachi, Nagano

Size: cub (juvenile)

Takamori Ushimaki, Nagano

Size: adult with cub

Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano

While walking on a forest road, I saw one bear nearby. It was sitting there.

Tokamachi, 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

Size: Unknown

Toyooka Kumashiro, Nagano

Size: Juvenile

Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano

Buckwheat husks stored on farmland had been scattered/rummaged through.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Nagano Shinkomachi-Hinota, Nagano

Size: adult

Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano

Size: Adult

Iiyama Toyoda, Nagano

Moved from Kamagawa, passed through rice fields, and headed toward the mountains.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Around 10:30 on 2026-05-25, a bear was sighted in Shigechi, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Size: Unknown

Sakae Toyosakae, Nagano

Size: Juvenile

Ina Nakanohara, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Nagano 若穂保科, Nagano

Toyota 東萩平町, Aichi

Size: Unknown

Nagano Matsushiromachi-Kiyono, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Shiojiri Daimon-nibancho, Nagano

One bear was captured with a tranquilizer gun at Nanbu Park in Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano

One bear was caught on a company security camera in Hiratahigashi, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano

On 2026-05-22 before 08:00, a bear was reported in a yard in Kotobuki-kita, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

Matsumoto Ichiba, Nagano

Size: Adult

Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano

A bear was sighted around 7:30 a.m. in a residential area of Kotobuki-kita 8, Matsumoto City.

Matsumoto Kotobuki-toyooka, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Azumino 明科光, Nagano

Size: Adult

Minowa 大字中箕輪, Nagano

One bear was seen in Nambu Park in Matsumoto, Nagano, stayed on a tree for about an hour, and was captured with a tranquilizer gun.

Matsumoto Yoshino, Nagano

Size: Adult (fully grown)

Azumino 豊科田沢, Nagano

Size: adult

Okaya Minato, Nagano

Around 07:00 on May 21, 2026, one bear was sighted in a residential area near the Kobo-yama kofun in Namiyanagi, Matsumoto City. Namiyanagi Elementary School was closed temporarily and 54 pupils who had already arrived were handed over to their guardians. Police and municipal authorities searched the area but did not find the bear; footprints believed to be from a bear were found in a nearby field. No human injuries were reported.

Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano

A resident reported seeing a bear in Nariai, Matsumoto City, and called 110.

Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano

At around 06:45 on May 21, 2026, a bear was sighted in the Mizusawa No.3 area of Tokamachi City near Echigo-Mizusawa Station; it crossed National Route 117 and headed toward the Shinano River. A warning was issued advising people to avoid forests and thick grass nearby.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Crossed National Route 117 near Echigo-Mizusawa Station and moved toward the Shinano River.

Tokamachi, Niigata

While traveling on Prefectural Route (Ojiya–Tōkamachi–Tsunami Line), observed one bear moving toward the Shinano River.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Around 06:00 on May 21, 2026, one bear was sighted moving toward the Shinano River Sports Park area while traveling on the main prefectural road Ojiya–Tokamachi–Tsunan in the Sugata No.1 area of Tokamachi. The city warned residents to avoid forests and thickets and urged measures such as carrying bells or bear spray.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Size: Unknown

Matsumoto Namiyanagi, Nagano

At around 09:50 on May 20, footprints of a bear were found in a field near the Takasu Ground in the Obara settlement, Tokamachi City. The city is urging nearby residents and agricultural workers to exercise caution.

Tokamachi, Niigata

Bear tracks sighted; trail indicates movement toward the southeast.

Tokamachi, Niigata

In the forests of Ina City (Hirasawa and Nishiminowa), Asiatic black bears were found caught in traps early on the morning of the 20th. In Hirasawa, a roughly 9-year-old female and a nearby cub were captured; in Nishiminowa Fukiage, a roughly 9-year-old female was trapped but the cub escaped. The three captured bears were handled according to prefectural policy.

Ina Masumigaoka, 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

Size: Unknown

Matsumoto Kotobuki-shirasebuchi, Nagano

Size: Unknown

Tatsuno 中央, Nagano

Size: adult

Shiojiri Hirooka-Kataishi, Nagano

Size: adult (fully grown)

Iiyama Minamimachi, Nagano

Around 2 PM on May 20, a bear was sighted in Sasaga, Matsumoto City, Nagano.

Matsumoto, Nagano

At around 17:15 on May 19, 2026, a bear was sighted near the Yoshida Cross-Country Course in the Koizumi No.2 area of Tokamachi City. Residents were warned to avoid forests and tall grass.

Tokamachi, Niigata

One bear was sighted about 300 meters west of Prefectural Route Tokamachi–Kawanishi.

Tokamachi, Niigata

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

Size: Adult (fully grown)

Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Kyushiojiri, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Takamori Ushimaki, Nagano

Size: Adult

Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano

Size: juvenile

Shiojiri Daimon-hachibancho, Nagano

Bear tracks were found near the worksite.

Nagaoka, Niigata

At around 19:40 on May 17, 2026, a bear about 1 meter long was sighted crossing the road north of Iida Cultural Hall in Takaba-cho, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture; police arrived but the bear had already left. On the morning of the 18th, police and city officials remained on alert and warned nearby residents, and no further sightings or damage have been reported.

Iida Takahacho, Nagano

On the night of May 17, 2026, one bear was sighted on a road in Takahachimachi, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture; a driver reported seeing it cross the road just after 7:30 p.m. Police and the city urged caution and carried out patrols on the morning of the 18th to coincide with children’s school commute times.

Iida Takahacho, Nagano