If you encounter a bear during your Japan trip

In the Ministry of the Environment national park guide, selecting your travel area shows regional bear sighting info and visitor centers. In the Japanese menu, 「クマ出没情報」 means bear sighting info, 「ヒグマ」 means brown bear, and 「ツキノワグマ」 means Asiatic black bear. Check where and when sightings occurred and when the notice was last updated.

Sapporo · 札幌

In Sapporo, the city office's 「札幌市ヒグマ出没情報」 shows bear sighting locations and maps. Whether nature trails are closed must be found in separate notices. Even if the map shows nothing, that does not mean there are no bears or the trail is safe.

If you meet at close range, do not suddenly shout or move abruptly. On mountain trails, make noise in advance to signal human presence, but once you have met a bear, move without startling it.

Even if you see only cubs, the mother may be nearby. Do not approach to take photos or feed them.

This action is to reduce injury when attacked by a bear. It does not guarantee you will not be hurt. Do not lie face down and wait in advance just because you see a bear.

If you have bear spray and can use it, use it as you practiced beforehand. Spray distance and method differ by product. Do not copy another product's spray distance.

When calling for help after creating distance from the bear, tell them your location and the hurt person's condition. Give the mountain or trail name, names on nearby signs, and your phone map location. Do not approach again to photograph the bear.

If you saw a bear near homes or villages, notify the city office or police. If you need immediate police help, call 110. In emergencies, call 119 or 110 before JNTO. The JNTO traveler support line does not substitute for ambulance or police calls.

Do not spray bear spray on your body, clothes, tent, or belongings in advance. Do not substitute with personal defense spray or insect repellent. Spray can also reach people nearby and harm them, so follow safety and storage instructions.

The Ministry of the Environment says both carrying bear spray in the cabin and checking it as baggage are prohibited. Even small containers or within general spray allowances cannot be brought. Do not pack it even when flying to another city in Japan or returning home.

If you plan to rent, ask the company or facility in advance whether they handle bear spray, how to use it, and where to return it. Also check separately whether rental items remain and their business hours. For leftover used products, ask the seller or rental place about return or disposal. Do not leave them with others or ship them yourself.

If you already brought it to the airport, tell the airline or airport staff. Do not assume you can send it by courier. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says items that cannot be loaded on planes may also face air transport restrictions when sent by courier.

We recommend reducing mountain or forest trail walks and changing plans to places on-site managers say are usable. Do not conclude you must cancel your entire Japan trip because a bear was sighted in one area, or that other areas are safe.

Ask your accommodation whether you can stay today, whether routes to the accommodation are blocked, and how to return. Check road restrictions and whether buses or trains run in the operator's same-day notices. If returning home, check your booked flight and transport to the airport separately.

If you need to change or cancel bookings, ask your accommodation, airline, and booking provider whether it is possible and how much it costs. Bear sightings do not make every booking free to cancel or refund.

If you do not know who to contact during travel, call the JNTO traveler support line at 050-3816-2787. From abroad, +81-50-3816-2787, available 24 hours in Korean, English, and Chinese. We cannot guarantee on-site interpretation or supply support.

Feeding bears, monkeys, or others, or leaving food or trash, makes them depend on human food, so they may appear near homes or villages or cause damage. Backing away without running and the protective posture when attacked are guidance for bears. Do not take them as responses for meeting other animals.