tl;dr – I know the government has been searching for ways to combat over-tourism, but…DAAAAMNNN this is next level.
I’m sure you were super stoked for your next trip to Japan. You were probably imagining a serene environment deep in the countryside, having savvily escaped the crowds in Tokyo, and bypassed the folks chasing Kyoto’s cherry blossoms. A nice walkabout during the day, then retreat to soak in the good ole onsen. Welp, think twice. The bears are gonna get you.
In 2025, the bears are on the loose in Japan, alright, scoring a record 220 attacks – responsible for at least 13 deaths.
‘Land orcas,’ as they are now called, the bears have caught the attention of the Japanese military and even the U.S. State Department and Global Affairs Canada, the latter two having issued travel advisories.
While many incidents have occurred in remote parts of Japan, there have been both attacks and sightings in more frequented destinations such as Shirakawa and even near Kyoto’s famed Arashiyama bamboo grove.
Safe travels!
