Why a Map of Bear Reports Isn’t a Map of Bear Risk More hikers and news outlets are now pointing people to Kumamap, a multilingual map of bear reports from across Japan. ABC News Australia profiled it in June, and CNN featured it in September in a...
Why Most Hikers in Japan Still Have Little to Fear Watching the NHK nightly news recently, it’s rare to go a night without a story about a bear attack somewhere in Japan. But is there really much to worry about for the average hiker? Returning along...
The Familiar Jingle of the Trail On nearly every well-trodden mountain trail in Japan, from the gentle slopes of Mt. Takao to the exposed ridgelines of Yatsugatake, one sound is almost always present: the steady jingle of bear bells. Dangling from...
Hiked on Aug 7, 2022 . Hotaka-jinja 武尊神社 – Kengamine 剣ケ峰山 Duration: 7.5 hours Distance: 13 km Elevation change: 1058 metres Highest point: 2158 metres Start: Urami-no-taki carpark Finish: Urami-no-taki...
Hiked on May 24, 2022 . Jinzasan 神座山 – Mt.Shakagatake 釈迦ヶ岳 – Shindo Pass 新道峠 Duration: 2 days Distance: 18.4 km Elevation change: 1028 metres Highest point: 1793 metres Start: Himine jinja mae Bus Stop ...