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Bear map of Akita 2026

About this map and how to read the numbers

This map shows, one by one from news reports, incidents in which people were injured or killed by bears and in which bears entered houses, shops and other buildings. The colour of each prefecture is the number of sightings compiled by the Ministry of the Environment (preliminary figures). In FY2025 sightings exceeded 50,000 and attacks on people reached a record high. In FY2026 there have again been attacks from Tohoku to the Kinki and Chugoku regions.

Bear sightings are life-and-death information. This map is made so that you can see the situation across Japan at a glance and check exact locations on each prefecture's page.

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List (newest first, 65 in total)

2026-10-30 · Katagami

Bear seen in woodland in Tenno Kitano, Katagami

Woodland in Tenno Kitano
2026-10-17 · Daisen

Person attacked in a field, head injured

Field in Minekichikawa, Kyowa
2026-10-01 · Akita City

Bear on house grounds in Niidahoncho, Akita City

Grounds of a house in Niidahoncho
2026-10-01 · Akita City

Bear in Senshu Park, Akita City, seen by a passerby

Senshu Park
2026-09-29 · Akita City

Bear in a park in Minamigaoka, Akita City

Park in Minamigaoka
2026-09-23 · Kita-Akita

Person seriously injured on Mt. Moriyoshi

Mt. Moriyoshi (Moriyoshizan Foothills Highland)
2026-08-29 · Akita City

Bear at a house in Terauchi, seen by a resident at home

A house in Terauchi
2026-07-29 · Kazuno

Bear seen in Suwano, Hanawa, Kazuno, 10 m from a house

Suwano, Hanawa
2026-07-27 · Akita City

Bear in woods behind a house in Terauchi, seen by a resident

Woods behind a house in Hirune, Terauchi
2026-07-25 · Akita City

Bear on house grounds in Terauchi, Akita City

Grounds of a house in Terauchi
2026-07-17 · Akita City

Bear seen in grassland in Yakeyama, Terauchi, Akita City

Grassland in Yakeyama, Terauchi
2026-07-17 · Akita City

Bear seen in grassland in Takano, Terauchi, Akita City

Grassland in Takano, Terauchi
2026-07-14 · Yurihonjo

Bears at a community hall and houses in Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo

Community hall grounds and house grounds in Ishiwaki
2026-07-09 · Yurihonjo

Bear on house grounds in Iizawa, Yurihonjo

On the grounds of a house in Iizawa
2026-07-07 · Daisen

Bear seen in Yotsuya, Daisen

Yotsuya (about 500 m from an elementary school)
2026-07-05 · Yurihonjo

Person seriously injured gathering wild plants

Okuyama, Sarukura, Chokai
2026-07-03 · Semboku

Person injured on house grounds, Kakunodate

Grounds of a house in Kakunodate
2026-07-01 · Katagami

One bear seen in Otowashita, Showa Okubo, Katagami

Showa Okubo, Otowashita
2026-06-25 · Daisen

Bear on house grounds in Kyowa, Daisen

Grounds of a house in Kyowa
2026-06-25 · Yurihonjo

Bear seen in Deto, Nishimemachi, Yurihonjo

Deto, Nishimemachi (about 50 m from a house)
2026-06-24 · Akita City

Two bears on Sakura Elementary School grounds, seen by pupils

Sakura Elementary School grounds
2026-06-18 · Nikaho

Two bears seen in Mitsumori, Nikaho

Mitsumori (about 60 m from a house)
2026-06-17 · Akita City

Bear at Akita City driving range alarms about 40 customers

Golf driving range in the city
2026-06-11 · Odate

Bear on house grounds in Shimizu, Odate

Grounds of a house in Shimizu
2026-06-09 · Yurihonjo

Person slightly injured on house grounds

Grounds of a house in Tsurunuma
2026-06-09 · Akita City

Repeated bear sightings in Hamada, Akita City

Hamada
2026-06-09 · Daisen

Bear on a prefectural road in Kariwano, Daisen

Prefectural road in Kariwano (about 200 m from Nishisenboku Junior High School)
2026-06-08 · Akita City

Bear in a residential area of Tsuchizaki, Akita City

Residential area in Tsuchizaki (about 450 m from Kohoku Elementary and Tsuchizaki Junior High)
2026-06-06 · Akita City

Bear seen on a city road in Kawabe Kitanoda Takaya, Akita City

City road in Kawabe Kitanoda Takaya, Raiyachi (near Kawabe Junior High School)
2026-06-06 · Gojome

Bear seen on a town road near Gojome Town Office

Town road in Nishi-Isonome 1-chome (about 15 m from the town office)
2026-06-06 · Yuzawa

Bear seen on Yamada Elementary School grounds in Yuzawa

Yamada Elementary School grounds, Habuhara, Yamada
2026-06-06 · Yokote

Bear on a guardrail on Route 13 in Jumonjimachi, Yokote

National Route 13, Jumonjimachi
2026-06-05 · Gojome

Bear stays in a grass thicket near the Babame River in Gojome

Grass thicket near the Babame River, Tategoshi
2026-06-04 · Odate

Bear on house grounds near Odate Keio High School

Grounds of a house about 200 m from Odate Keio High School
2026-06-03 · Yurihonjo

Person working in a field attacked and injured

Field in Miyanoshita, Oyakawa
2026-06-02 · Akita City

Person dies cutting grass, Kawabe Wada

Okamura, Kawabe Wada, wooded hill behind a residential area
2026-06-01 · Yurihonjo

Bear in mountain forest in Funagadai, Yurihonjo

Mountain forest in Funagadai
2026-05-28 · Ugo

Person slightly injured heading to gather plants

Uradayama, Horimawari, Nishimonai
2026-05-27 · Yurihonjo

Bear on Route 7 in Nishimemachi, Yurihonjo

National Route 7, Nishimemachi
2026-05-25 · Akita City

Bear on a city road in Koaji, Yotsukoya

Koaji, Yotsukoya
2026-05-21 · Yokote

Bear in a rice paddy in Omonogawamachi, Yokote

Rice paddy in Omonogawamachi
2026-05-20 · Akita City

Bear on a golf course in Goshono, Akita City

Golf course in Goshono Jizoden (Akita City Refresh Garden)
2026-05-17 · Akita City

Bear seen on house grounds in Sotoasahikawa, Akita City

Grounds of a house in Sotoasahikawa
2026-05-14 · Yokote

Bear may be hiding around Otori Park in Yokote

Otori Park
2026-05-14 · Ugo

Bear on a town road in Sugimiya, Ugo

Town road in Sugimiya
2026-05-13 · Yurihonjo

Bear on a city road in Ishiwaki, Yurihonjo

City road in Ishiwaki
2026-05-11 · Akita City

Bear in grassland in Shogunnominami, seen by a schoolchild

Grassland in Shogunnominami (near Takashimizu Elementary School)
2026-05-11 · Yurihonjo

Bear on house grounds in Nokiuchi, Yurihonjo

Grounds of a house in Nokiuchi
2026-05-11 · Ugo

Bear on a town road in Nishimonai, Ugo

Town road in Nishimonai
2026-05-07 · Odate

Bear on a city road in Ikenai, Odate

City road in Ikenai
2026-05-06 · Daisen

Bear beside a waterway in Jinguji, Daisen

Beside a waterway in Jinguji
2026-05-05 · Yurihonjo

Person seriously injured checking paddies

Rice paddy in Horinai, Higashiyuri (Shimoishida slope)
2026-05-04 · Nikaho

Bear near a neighborhood hall in Kisakatamachi, Nikaho

Near a neighborhood association hall in Kisakatamachi
2026-05-03 · Yokote

Repeated early-morning bear sightings in Yokote, heading south

Takubonuma (south of Akita Furusato Village)
2026-05-02 · Noshiro

Bear on a city road in Furodai, Noshiro

City road in Furodai
2026-04-27 · Misato

Bear on a town road in Rokugo, Misato

Town road in Rokugo (about 250 m from an elementary school)
2026-04-26 · Katagami

One bear sighted in Gamanuma, Tenno, Katagami

Gamanuma, Tenno
2026-04-26 · Akita City

Bear walking on the Hamada coast seen by a person on a walk

Coast at Hamada
2026-04-25 · Odate

Bear on house grounds in Shakanai, Odate

Grounds of a house in Shakanai
2026-04-23 · Yokote

Bear in a parking lot in Asahigaoka, Yokote

Parking lot in Asahigaoka
2026-04-21 · Yokote

Bear on a city road in Hirakamachi, Yokote

City road in Hirakamachi
2026-04-21 · Odate

Bear in woods in Shakanai, Odate

Woods in Shakanai
2026-04-19 · Akita City

Bear running down a street on a security camera

Ushijima-higashi
2026-04-14 · Akita City

Multiple bear sightings in a residential area of Araya, Akita City

Residential area of Araya
2026-04-02 · Akita City

Bear on a road between houses in Narayama Ishizuka-cho

Road between a house and an apartment building, Narayama Ishizuka-cho
How each prefecture is shown, with links to prefectural bear pages

What this map shows

This map shows, one at a time, incidents in which bears injured or killed people, bears entered buildings, and bears were seen in towns, based on news reports and announcements by local governments and the police.

The colour and number for each prefecture are the Ministry of the Environment's provisional sighting counts. Tap a point or an item in the list to see its date, place and source.

Questions and answers

What are the points on the map based on?

News articles and announcements by public bodies such as local governments and the police. Each item links to its source.

Where do the sighting counts by prefecture come from?

They are the Ministry of the Environment's provisional figures from its bear information page. Hokkaido does not publish a sighting count, so it has no number.

How often is the map updated?

Every morning, new reports and announcements are checked and added. The Ministry's provisional figures are reflected after the Ministry updates them.

When do bears hibernate in Japan?

According to the Ministry of the Environment, generally from December to February, with activity from March to November. Warm winters and regional differences can shift the timing.

Can bears appear in November, December or winter?

Yes. In fiscal 2025 Gunma Prefecture recorded 289 sightings in November, 57 in December and 13 in January. The prefecture says not every bear hibernates.

What should I do if I meet a bear?

The Ministry of the Environment says: do not approach it, stay calm and back away slowly while keeping the bear in sight, and do not shout, throw things, or turn your back and run.

Can I take bear spray on a plane?

No. Bear spray cannot be carried on or checked into aircraft, so find a place to buy or rent it after you land (National Parks of Japan / Ministry of the Environment).

Bears in Akita (FY2026)

This map shows 65 incidents and posts in Akita (1 death, 8 injuries, 56 sightings), each with its date, place and source. The Ministry of the Environment's provisional count for Akita (Apr–Aug) is 3,269 sightings, the 2nd highest of the prefectures that publish one.

Sources: Ministry of the Environment (Japanese), and the news or official report for each item in the list.

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