Title: Exploring the Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident Site in Hokkaido: A Journey Through Japan’s Dark History
Every year, bear sightings in Japan increase, both on the mainland, where the Asiatic black bear lives, and in Hokkaido, home to the enormous Ussuri brown bear, also known as the Ezo brown bear. While both types of bears are dangerous, Hokkaido’s brown bears are particularly fearsome due to their size and ferocity.
The worst bear attack in Japanese history, the Sankebetsu brown bear incident, is a chilling tale over a century ago. Between December 9-14, 1915, a giant brown bear killed seven people and seriously injured three others in the settlement of Rokusensawa, Sankebetsu, in the town of Tomamae, Hokkaido. This incident is also known as the Tomamae brown bear incident or the Rokusensawa bear attack.
To keep the story alive as a cautionary tale, locals have established the Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident Reconstruction Location. Online reviews reveal the eerie atmosphere of the site, with comments like “I couldn’t visit it alone,” “It’s too creepy,” and “I was too scared to leave the car.” The official town website even warns visitors that the site is not well-lit, there’s no mobile phone service, brown bears may appear, and it’s dangerous to visit at night.
Despite these warnings, visiting the site during early summer, when bear encounters are usually at their lowest, can be a way to pay homage to those who lost their lives. As you drive to the site, it’s natural to wonder about safety, given the unstaffed nature of the location.
To understand the history better, a stop at the Tomamae Town Folk Museum is highly recommended. Here, you can learn about the settlers’ difficult lives, clearing the land manually, living in huts, and constantly being on the lookout for bears. On December 9, 1915, a giant brown bear that hadn’t hibernated attacked a dwelling, killing two people. The bear returned the next night, and despite the townsmen’s efforts, it mauled and killed five more people. The five-day ordeal ended on December 14 when famed bear hunter Yamamoto Heikichi killed the 340-kilogram, 2.7-meter-long beast.
With thoughts of the enormous bear in mind, driving to the incident site, 25 kilometers from the museum, at the end of a “Bear Road,” which runs from the town center to the mountains, can be both eerie and enlightening. Despite the area’s grim history, signs along Bear Road depict bears in a friendly manner, which can help ease some fears. However, reaching the end of the road is a reminder that this is indeed bear territory.
Visiting the Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident Reconstruction Location is a stark reminder of the power and danger of nature. It is an important historical site that commemorates the lives lost and educates visitors about the events of that tragic week in 1915. If you find yourself in Hokkaido, visiting this site is both a chilling and enlightening experience.
http://www.town.tomamae.lg.jp/section/shokouroudou/lg6iib0000000ls1.html
