Four hikers were stranded on a mountain in northern Japan last week after they came face-to-face with a brown bear. They were rescued by helicopter after waiting more than three hours.
The group was unable to move down because the bear remained on the road, forcing them to call for emergency help.The incident occurred on Saturday, July 4, in Hokkaido, where a hiker spotted the bear while on its way down the mountain. The group decided not to risk any confrontation and remained in place until rescue teams arrived. All four hikers were eventually airlifted to safety and none were injured. Bear attacks are on the rise in Japan, especially in the country’s northern regions, with authorities urging residents and visitors to remain alert.
The fatal encounter
According to local media Kyodo News, the first hiker noticed the animal around 2.30pm local time. It was about 50 meters from the road.Later, three other hikers followed him at the same place. With the bear blocking the road, the group decided not to continue.
Instead, they stayed put and called emergency authorities around 4:50 p.m.The group remained stranded for three and a half hours while rescue teams planned a safe operation. Police later said the bear was believed to be about 1.45 meters (4 feet 9 inches) long, Peoples magazine reported.
Rescue
The hikers were on a mountain about 7,024 feet above sea level in Hokkaido. Since the bear prevented them from using the trail, authorities decided the safest option was to perform an air rescue.A helicopter was dispatched to the area and all four hikers were airlifted from the mountain. The rescue operation was completed without any casualties.
The mountain has just been reopened
The rescue occurred on the same day that Mount Rausu, on Hokkaido’s Shiretoko Peninsula, was reopened to hikers for the first time since August 2025, according to Kyodo News. The mountain was closed after a 26-year-old hiker was killed in a bear attack last year.A reopening ceremony was held on Sunday, July 5, with about 50 city officials and climbers in attendance to celebrate the return of hikers to the mountain.The reopening came after months of safety measures following the deadly attack, but the latest incident shows that bear sightings are still a concern in the area.
Bear attacks rise in Japan
Bear encounters have increased sharply across Japan in recent years. According to the BBC, the country recorded 238 bear-related incidents and 13 deaths in 2025, the highest number ever.The increasing number of attacks has prompted the Japanese government to take additional steps to deal with the entry of bears into residential areas. Last October, the Ministry of Environment said it would allocate funds to recruit fishermen to address the problem.The following month, the US Embassy and consulates in Japan also issued a warning asking travelers, especially those visiting northern Japan, to remain alert due to aggressive bears.
