At the Akita Kanto Festival held in the city of Akita this week, city officials with bear repellent sprays are patrolling the area around the festival venue. | JIJI
JIJI
Aug 5, 2026
As bears become an increasing threat in the Tohoku region, organizers of three major traditional summer festivals in the area are taking measures to prevent the animals from coming near audiences.
In Sendai, where the Sendai Tanabata Festival will be held between Thursday and Saturday with more than 2 million visitors expected, the number of bear sightings between April and July totaled 216, up by 40% from the same period last year.
The bears have tended to approach residential areas by walking along rivers while hiding in bushes on riverbanks.
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