18/06/2026
I walked Japan’s old Nakasendo trail two summers ago. The warning signs there have always carried bear bells. And it’s worth knowing what they’re actually for. You wear a bell so a bear hears you coming, because historically bears avoid people. The sound gives them the chance to stay away. Back then, locals told me the monkeys were the real nuisance, not the bears. But on my recent trip I heard bells everywhere, on packs, on trails, even in Tokyo, far more than before. So here’s the honest question: if bears have always kept their distance, has something shifted? I’ll leave that one open. Not to scare anyone, but to walk with care. Wear a bell. Carry bear spray if you can get it. And don’t walk alone. I’m 57. Not the expert, the experiment.
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