What to Do If You Meet a Bear While Travelling in Japan

On the Ministry of the Environment's national park pages, choose the area you are travelling in to find bear sighting information by area and visitor centres. In the Japanese menu, 「クマ出没情報」 means bear sighting information, 「ヒグマ」 means brown bear, and 「ツキノワグマ」 means Asiatic black bear. Check where and when sightings happened 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」 (Sapporo brown bear sighting information) shows where bears were sighted on a map. Whether nature trails are closed must be checked in a separate notice. Even if the map shows nothing, it does not mean there are no bears or that the trail is safe.

If you meet one up close, do not suddenly shout or move quickly. When walking on trails, make noise in advance to let bears know a person is coming — but once you have met a bear, move so as not to startle it.

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

This is to reduce injury during an attack. 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 the way you practised with that product. Each product sprays at a different distance and in a different way. Do not copy the range of a different product.

Once you are away from the bear, say where you are and how the injured person is when asking for help. Give the mountain or trail name, the name on the nearest sign, or your phone map location. Do not go back to take photos of the bear.

If you see a bear near your home or in the town, tell the city office or the police. If you need the police right away, call 110. In an emergency, call 119 or 110 first. The JNTO travel assistance hotline is not a substitute for calling an ambulance or the police.

Do not spray bear spray on your body, clothes, tent or bags in advance. Do not substitute personal self-defence spray or insect repellent. The spray can reach people nearby too, so follow the safety and storage instructions.

The Ministry of the Environment says both carrying bear spray in the cabin and checking it in are banned. You cannot take it even if the can is small or within the allowance for ordinary sprays. Do not pack it when flying between cities in Japan or when returning home either.

If you plan to rent, ask the shop or facility in advance whether they handle bear spray, how to use it, and where to return it. Check separately whether they have stock and their opening hours. For leftover product, ask the shop or rental place how to return or dispose of it. Do not leave it with someone else or post it yourself.

If you have 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 go on planes may also face air transport limits when sent by courier.

Cut down on mountain and forest walks, and change your plans to places the site manager says are open. A bear sighting in one area does not mean you must cancel your whole Japan trip, nor does it mean other areas are safe.

Ask your accommodation whether you can stay tonight, whether any roads to it are blocked, and how to get back. Check the operator's same-day notices for whether roads are restricted and whether the buses or trains you plan to take are operating. If you are flying home, check your booked flight and transport to the airport separately.

If you need to change or cancel bookings, ask the accommodation, airline or booking company whether you can and what it costs. A bear sighting does not mean every booking can be cancelled or refunded for free.

If you do not know who to contact while travelling, call the JNTO travel assistance hotline on 050-3816-2787. From abroad it is +81-50-3816-2787, and it operates 24 hours a day in Korean, English and Chinese. It cannot guarantee on-site interpreting or supplies.

Feeding bears, monkeys and others — or leaving food or rubbish — makes them depend on human food, so they may come near homes or towns and cause damage. Backing away without running and the protective posture during an attack are guidance for bears. Do not treat them as what to do when meeting other animals.