A summary of brown bear information for 2026 is available here.
Please observe the following guidelines.
If you have any brown bear footprints, droppings, or sightings,
please report them to the Asahidake Visitor Center.
Do not forget where you are stepping into brown bear territory.
We absolutely do not recommend hiking alone. Danger lurks nearby.
「 Stay away from brown bears. Do not show your back, keep your eyes on them and back away slowly.
Never give them food. Do not follow them. Keep your distance. Don’t leave your gear behind to hike.
We recommend carrying bear bells, whistles or bear spray.」
【Date &Time】unknown(Before2:00 PM) October 10.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160,On the road 5 min. away from the Asahidake Onsen.
【Number】Small Brown Bear (Nnmber of heads unknown)
【Situation】While driving, Tourist saw a brown bear on the road 5 min. away from the Asahidake Onsen.
【Date &Time】1:00 PM October 10.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160,The area just a bit up the hairpin curve.
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】While driving, Tourist saw a brown bear on the road go into the bushes on the left.
【Date &Time】6:30 AM October 2nd.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160, approximately 500 m on the Higashikawa Town side of Gama-iwa rock.
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】A brown bear was spotted from inside the car. The bear was looking toward the vehicle from the roadside.
【Date &Time】10:00 AM October 2nd.
【Place】P14 midway along the hiking trail from the Susoaidaira Junction toward Sugatami Station.
【Number】Brown Bear footprints
【Date &Time】12：00PM September 30th
【Place】Nakadake Bunki（Nakadake Jct）
【Number】A foreigner reported to a Japanese park volunteer that they saw a brown bear.
【Date &Time】8:10 AM September 28th & 30th.
【Place】On Route 1160 (Asahidake Onsen Line), on the road near the sign marking an elevation of 800 meters
【Number】The front leg of an Ezo deer, believed to have been eaten by a brown bear
【Date &Time】11:00 AM September 26th.
【Place】Between Points P14 and P13, midway along the hiking trail from the Susoaidaira Junction toward Sugatami Station.
【Number】Brown Bear Droppings
【Date &Time】16:00 PM September 20th.
【Place】A road leading about 10 km downhill from the Visitor Center
【Number】1 cub (subadult) Brown Bear
【Date &Time】13:00 PM September 20th.
【Place】Near Point P14, midway along the hiking trail from the Susoaidaira Junction toward Sugatami Station.
【Number】Brown Bear Droppings
【Date &Time】19:00 PM September 18th.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160, just before the Miharashidai on the uphill side from Asahidake Gensui
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】He spotted a brown bear from inside the car. It was looking for food along the roadside.
【Date &Time】17:20 PM September 18th.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160, on the Higashikawa Town side of Gama-iwa rock
【Number】One Brown Bear
【Situation】He spotted a brown bear from inside the car.
【Date &Time】15:27 PM September 18th.
【Place】On Prefectural Route 1160, near the Miharashidai on the uphill lane from Asahidake Gensui
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】He spotted a brown bear from inside the car. It headed toward the mountains.
【Date &Time】14:36 PM September 18th.
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】He spotted a brown bear from inside the car. It headed toward the mountains.
【Date &Time】 14:10 PM September 18th.
【Place】On the side of Route 1160, about ”Mizunashinuma-pond”
【Number】One Brown Bear cub
【Situation】The driver visually confirmed a bear cub emerging from behind the guardrail on the right side from inside the vehicle. The bear cub had spotted the vehicle and was turning back.
【Date &Time】 14:55 PM September 10th.
【Place】On the side of Route 1160, about 1 km down the road from the Asahidake Onsen resort area.
【Number】Brown Bear
【Situation】The driver spotted a brown bear eating butterbur by the side of the road from inside the car.
【Date &Time】9：00 AM September 9th
【Place】Asahidake Onsen Kamo Swamp,Wasabi Swamp Course
【Number】A person jogging found what is believed to be a brown bear footprint.
About 3 km along the Kamo Swamp Wasabi Swamp Course,
there were fresh bear tracks like it had just walked by.
【Date &Time】 11:00 AM September 7th.
【Place】Asahidake Onsen Yukomanbetsu Marshland(Opposite of Asahidake Base Station)
【Number】Brown Bear Tracks.
From the Tennyogahara hiking trail to the Yūkomanbetsu Marshland viewing platform, several sets of tracks.
【Date &Time】 14:30 PM August 12rd.
【Place】Halfway between Nakadake Onsen and the Susoaidaira junction
【Number】One adult brown bear and two cubs were spotted on a north-facing slope several hundred metres from the hiking trail.
【Date &Time】 8:00 AM August 12rd.
【Place】between the 3th and 4th stations on the Tennyogahara Marshland Trail.
【Number】While a hiker was ascending the trail between the 3rd and 4th stations, he heard the growl of a brown bear coming from the undergrowth. Although he was unable to see the bear or determine how many bears there were, he noticed a strong animal odor in the area and heard a low, loud growl—“Grrrrrrrr.”
【Date &Time】 7:00 AM August 3rd.
【Number】whilst climbing the 2nd Tennyogahara hiking trail, He heard the growl of a brown bear coming from the undergrowth.
Although he was unable to see the bear with his own eyes, he heard a low, loud growl—‘Grrrrrrrr’—and, sensing danger, He retreated and made his way back down the mountain.
【Date &Time】 11:40 AM July 24th
【Place】between the 5th and 6th stations on the Mt. Asahidake trail.
【Number】While descending, a hiker spotted an adult brown bear standing 50 to 60 meters to the left of the trail.
After pausing and moving closer to the trail, the brown bear moved off toward the southern slope.
【Date &Time】 11:20 AM July 22th
【Place】Directly below the 6th Station on the Mt. Asahidake Trail
【Number】One adult brown bear (on the smaller side) crossed the south-facing slope from the Jigokudani side.
It appeared to be wary of people and moved out of the way.
【Date &Time】 10:15 AM July 22th
【Place】Hiking Trail in the Asahidake Sugatami-Pond area near the stairs leading from Kagami Pond toward Karesawa
【Number】One adult brown bear (on the larger side) crossed the steps of the hiking trail from left to right and walked off toward the mountainside.
【Date &Time】 12:00 PM July 7th (Two people were spotted at the same time)
【Place】The trail between Mt. Mamiya and Mt. Nakadake Junction
【Number】A brown bear that had been walking along the hiking trail headed toward Ohachidaira area.
【Date &Time】 July 7th
【Place】The hiking trail between Mt. Toma and Mt. Antaroma
【Number】Two adult brown bears emerged from the bushes right in front of the hiker.
When the hiker sprayed bear spray at one of the bears as it approached, it ran away.
【Date &Time】 8:47 AM July 7th
【Place】near the 8th Station of Asahidake
【Number】A brown bear was walking toward Jigokudani.
【Date &Time】 11:20 AM July 4th
【Place】Ohachidaira
【Number】A brown bear was walking along a snowfield in Ohachidaira.
【Date &Time】 5:00 AM July 3rd
【Place】Uraasahi camping ground
【Number】A brown bear approached a hiker to within 10 meters and headed toward Mt. Asahidake.
【Date &Time】 July 3rd
【Place】From Mt.Araidake to Ohachidaira
【Number】A brown bear
【Date &Time】 14:20 PM June 26th
【Place】On the road from Asahidake Gensui toward Lake Chubetsu
【Number】A brown bear
【Date &Time】 8:40 AM June 21st
【Place】Near the Asahidake Ropeway Base Station
【Number】A brown bear crossed the road near the cable car’s mountain-base station and headed into the mountains.
【Date &Time】 11:30 AM June 16th
【Place】Asahidake Onsen
【Number】A brown bear ran from the Hakuunso parking lot toward Yunonuma Pond.
【Date &Time】 Morning, June 6th
【Place】Inside the Asahidake Gensui parking lot
【Number】1 Brown bear cub was playing by climbing a tree.
【Date &Time】 15:00 PM, June 5th
【Place】Between the Kurodake Stone Chamber and the Akaishi River
【Number】1 Brown bear
【Date &Time】 12:00 PM, May 31th
【Place】From the 2nd Tennyagahara to the vicinity of the 3rd Station
【Number】Brown bear footprints
【Date &Time】 May 27th
【Place】Near marshland with the boardwalk in the Asahidake Gensui
【Number】Three brown bears were walking from the marsh toward the Chūbetsu River
【Date &Time】 13:00 PM, May 22th
【Place】From the Ura-Asahi（The Back Side of Mt. Asahidake） side to the vicinity of the summit of Mt. Asahidake
【Number】Brown bear footprints(2 types)
【Date &Time】 Around 5:30 PM, May 17th
【Place】Roadside near Chubetsu Gawa Bridge on Hokkaido Prefectural Road 1116
【Number】Brown bear droppings
【Date &Time】May 16th, in the morning.
【Place】From The Second Tennyogahara toward Asahidaira.
【Number】Footprints of two brown bears.
→→ arrows indicate two different individuals.
【Date &Time】May 15th, 9:00 am
【Place】From Susoaidaira to the vicinity of Otsukayama & Kotsukayama.
【Number】1 Brown bear
【Date &Time】April 30th, 9:00 am
【Place】Wasabinuma pond
【Number】Brown bear footprints. Footprints leading from Wasabinuma Pond towards Kamonuma Pond.
