You and Chris really inspired me to visit Tohoku since moving to Japan. I've been every winter around Christmas, visiting every prefecture in Tohoku at least once now, and this year also visited for the first time in summer. Alongside Shikoku Tohoku is my favourite area of Japan ❤
Wife and I had a bear encounter near Nikko of all places (about a week after you posted this, turns out!). The bear was on a clifftop near a much less visited shrine, so we were in no danger. We later ran into some other tourists that saw it or another one further up the trail to some other rarely-visted temples. I'm very used to bear encounters, albeit the ones found in BC, Canada, but it actually sounds like the Japanese ones are somewhat less predictable! All said, definitely a unique part of our trip. We ended up spending most of the rest of our trip in Tohoku, and absolutely adored everything there (especially fond of Morioka!) - your videos are definitely helping to drive the planning process for our next trip!
5:30 sparks flew because she thought "this man fought a bear and won." LOL Yeah those brown bears are a completely different thing if you came across one. I think they are closely relate to Russian Brown bears
Thank you for making this video. I've ever met foreign hikers who don't even know there are bears in Honshu a few times. I really worry about them. I hope the information about Japanese mountains in English like your video would be very meaningful to these people. Thank you, again. Sorry my bad English.
I was super glad to see a new video of yours appear in my notifications - you've certainly been missed - but I am also very glad to hear your guiding work is going so well. I think it's wonderful that so many of Japan's forests are home to bears - here in Europe, though steadily growing in numbers I believe, the existence of European brown bears still stirs up a lot of controversy. People can live alongside bears and other animals, if they act responsibly and respectfully, and your video captures a lovely set of points that help people do just that. Thanks for sharing.
It's nice to get a complete overview of what to do about Japanese black bears! The nipple detail really got to me though - I want to keep mine! And I know you're not as specialized in Hokkaido but I'd really like to learn more about those brown bears - they're what I'm really worried about (since Hokkaido is on my bucket list too). Also wow, you're a sake sommelier? Impressive!
Ok- I'll interview some Hokkaido guides about brown bears.. or if it's easier than making people read a subtitled interview I can just ask a few guides I know in Hokkaido a bunch of questions and do some online research and combine that info into something I can share quickly. Can do!
Hey Quinlan, thanks so much for making these videos! You inspired me to try living in Japan. Been here for going on a year and a half and love it. I live up in Hokkaido and have been making my up all the mountains in Hokkaido Prefecture. Its been an unforgettable experience. You have my eternal gratitude!
I for one will watch sake content! I was fortunate enough to finally get to try your local Akabu for the first time. It was a seasonal junmai (浜娘). I thought it was quite tasty. I would certainly like to explore more of Akabu's offerings.
The whole Bear Bell thing I read up on before doing my rocky mountain hikes in Canada, and they were all pretty much saying it's pointless using one. The same goes for bear spray, if the bear is determined to kill and eat you. In the end, you just have to be ready to fight and survive. I usually make a lot of noise when I hike in bear country, like banging my hiking pole loudly on the ground, and I have music playing on my phone or mp3 player. And I avoided hiking at dawn, and so far, it's worked okay.
I feel like the older I get, the more irrationally apprehensive about about bears I am. haha I just don't think I can stand there, and NOT run. As a kid, I always just told myself I could just jump into a tree...but now, I've seen vids of bears climbing trees, and that they can actually run really fast. There's no escape, if one decides to make me a ragdoll. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw so many bears this summer in Pennsylvania and I thought about your videos each time. I scared one away that was too close for my comfort. Thanks for all your great advice! ❤
Also, random: I actually know a ranger who had to kill a bear who attacked him in Oregon. He ended up getting the bear in the neck with an axe. And he had the other rangers come get the body while he went to the hospital so he could taxidermy it; It lives in his office now 😂
Good to see another video from you. Your passion for the nature and mountains of North Japan is truly inspiring. If I ever do end up coming back to Japan I hope to make it there for sure!
time to finally catch up on your vids XD how I managed to get so far behind again but you're pretty active right now so i better be, too :D wohooh First of all, thank you again for taking me around last autum :) I suppose things might have calmed down for you by now. Osawa Onsen turned out to be epic too, btw :D what a great recommendation. Anywhow, somehow i did stumble into more "bear warnings" this time around :o being a daft tourist I usually didn't realize what was going on until i had gone through "please don't go that path there is a bear sighting" areas :| but...clearly i'm still alive. Guess I ought to have watched this video prior though XD
Ahahaha, yeah, 2023 had more than 6 times the bear attacks of the previous year so everyone was on high alert! So glad that you loved Osawa! It is such a great spot! See you next time!
All good advice. Just two weeks ago my wife and I were taking a short hike in the Grand Teton National Forest. People coming down the trails started telling us that there was one (and possibly two) grizzlies on the trail ahead. After about 5 more confirmations of this fact. Having no bear spray with us that day, we played it safe and turned around and headed back down the mountain. My wilderness backpacking days are behind me now, but my understanding back when I was quite active was that if attacked by a grizzly, play dead. There was no consensus on black bears, some saying fight back and others recommending playing dead.
@@GoNorthJapan That's good to know, so similar to encountering mountain lions/cougars in the western USA, try to look as menacing as you can, pick up a stick if possible and go on the attack. Quietly praying is probably a good option too.
Hi Quinlan, as always great advice for those exploring out and about in nature. It’s good to hear that you’ve been busy and happy doing what you love most too. Mount Iwate really does look beautiful every time you share your visits with everyone, long may that continue as the seasons progress. Thank you for this update, best wishes to you
Thanks so much! Yeah- if people would watch it, I'd just make a Mt. Iwate channel, showing various parts of it through the seasons and again and again and... lol
Oh an excellent video to return with, very valuable info! I've recovered my herniated disc throughout this year and am aiming to get into hiking to keep the body healthy. Oh if only I could transport to north Japan and sample some sake while I'm at it! Someday someday. I can dream while I'm living in the flatlands of the Midwest 😅
The Midwest is nice too! Just got back after 5 weeks in the Madison area... but I ate waaaay too much. Yeah- we gotta hurry up and get that teleportation tech so you can zip over.
Well said. The bear bells are quite annoying here I think. It seems like some people use this to just ease their mind, as a placebo so to say. I have seen people using bear bells in Japan in areas that are known to not have any bears, or also in areas where there is no possible food etc. for any bear to survive (big volcanic areas such as Aso-san etc). I once heard that the whole idea of a bear bell goes back to some sort of marketing gig of an outdoor company many years ago, but anyhow, it is really annoying if you try to enjoy nature, but constantly hear the bells echoing on the trails...
Yeah- I do generally hike with bear spray, as do the other professional guides I know. That said, I always ask them, and I have yet to meet a mountain guide that has ever actually USED their bear spray. Bluetooth speakers.. yeah... work for safety but somehow I just don't like that idea so much as it makes it so you can't hear the mountains around you.
So great to have you back! Hope your States visit was restful and enjoyable. And thanks for these tips about Japanese black bear - apparently they’re quite a bit more ill-tempered than what we have in North America. But these tips will serve well in my hikes here in the eastern US.
Excellent video as always, Quinlan! I've been living and hiking in Japan since 2019, but I've never encountered bears 🐻, just seen their tracks and scat. Are you going to do a video one day about Bear spray 🐻🌶 and when it should be wise to use it based on the bear's actions? I've been carrying it on me during every hike, but I've always had doubts on when to use it since most guides online are for against 🇺🇸 American brown and black bears.
That's a great question! I carry bear spray as well, as does almost every Japanese mountain guide I've met, but I have yet to meet a guide that's actually used their bear spray... so I don't have enough information to make that video just yet...
@@GoNorthJapan Thanks for replying so quick! All the guides I've met told me the same thing, they never had to use it 🌶🐻. But it makes you think about how many attacks could've maybe been prevented if the victims had bear spray on them 🤔. I know that it should be used when it's 100% clear that the Bear means harm, because I've read that if it's used against a bluff charge it will in turn piss off the bear even more. Many Americans also think Sun Bears must be harmless since they associate them with their more docile Black Bears, but I think there's enough evidence to prove our bears are more aggressive by looking at the number of yearly attacks 💀.
Indeed most attack happen to people picking wild plants. Two factors, those people are usually quietly picking edibles and second, bears are territorial and if you come to their territory and take their food, they don't like it. And maybe a third factor, they are elderly and not as strong. I had a trail cam last summer to capture bears, but I was surprised to see how many people went by to pick edibles in the bear's garden
Thanks for sharing your knowledge I will be bike packing through Kyushu and Shikoku in may Camping hopeful wild some nite is it advisable to hand food in trees like people do in the states Cheers lou
Sounds great! No bears in Kyushu at all, so safe there! Also, in Shikoku there are extremely few bears. They're basically endangered there. I think the current bear population in the entire island is less than 50. So no worries really at all!
I'm chuffed to hear that the professional guide side of things is tracking nicely (tracking, see what I did there?...)(( *sorry* )). Yeah, I think the bell method is too crude and it's good to hear that the statistics are not supporting it. Imo it's hard to predict how is one going to react in that kind of situation, it very much would depend on what was going on inside "the melon" at the time, I'd guess, but in my case I hope I never come across one, because my curiosity and love of nature could easily induce me to do something incredibly dumb on those critical first moments... I have a question for you though: what budget friendly (common) brands of bear spray do you know of in Japan? Thanks Quinlan 🙏 (even if it's a small one it would make me feel safer, and I have plans for a multi-day hike in Chubu sometime next year)
Yeah- having bear spray is a good security blanket. Most mountain guides carry it, but never ever use it. They say they have it because in that extremely unlikely event of an attack, they would be criticized if they didn't have bear spray... I've always bought imported German or American bearspray online. No specific brand, just whichever one was affordable and compact. It expires every couple years, so I buy more again
No, don't sing, that might just annoy the bear 😁😁. So, best time to go hiking in Japan is when bears are hibernating.............except if you accidentally wake one up, then I guess he isn't going to be very happy with you.
Seriously? Upon the initial meeting, one ought to bow deeply and introduce yourself using your best keigo. Then you proffer your business card (remember to use both hands) keep in mind that bears do not carry cards. Instead of running it is advisable to direct the bear to your favorite snack. Treat him to a beer or two. If he becomes agressive then put him in a taxi and let the driver deal with the nusiance. Cheers, 😏😏
Interesting! That bear call I do is one that I learned from a local backcountry skiing and mountain biking guide.. so it is local I guess... but from everything I've heard from other professional guides, just talking or generally making human noise is effective. The specific call isn't so important.
