On May 14, Atsushi Miyamae was scouting fishing spots by a forest path near the Obora Dam in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. At around 2 p.m., the avid angler and Tokyo-based architect heard rustling coming from beside the trail.
He looked over to see an Asian black bear scrambling down the slope before it disappeared into the forest.
“There have been many bear sightings around here, and two years ago my older brother also encountered a cub,” Miyamae says. “That’s why I always come prepared. I carry a bear bell, bear spray and a machete.”
