The forest where we are walking in is a bear habitat.
There have been multiple sightings within a year.
In our experience, we have never heard of any incidents of human harm caused by bears in Biei in the past 10-15 years.
Bears basically hibernate during the winter.
The guide is always checking the local bear information.
As a precaution, the guide carries bear spray to deter bears.
We will provide the lecture on how to respond a bear before the tour start if we encounter a bear in the forest.
Currently, many bear incidents are occurring in main land Japan.
In Hokkaido, most of the numerous sightings and issues are happening in urban areas.
Approximately 3-4 million foreign tourists visit Hokkaido in a year.
We have never heard of any reports of human(tourists) injuries caused by bears.
We are concerned about the increasing number of travelers entering this forest without a guide.
This is because an increase in travelers without guides leads to more people leaving trash in natural forests and feeding the wildlife.
Such behavior can also lead to bears approaching.
The dangers of a snow-covered winter forest are not limited to bears. The guide always conducts tours with the safety of the customers in mind.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Tomi