A motorist in Yamagata City reported a bear sighting, triggering an alert. Police later discovered it was a woman in a bear jumpsuit, highlighting heightened sensitivity to wildlife encounters.

Recent bear sightings in rural Japan have travelers on edge. In Yamagata, a bear alert was issued after a motorist spotted what they thought was a bear. It turned out to be a woman wearing a full-sized, black, furry jumpsuit with bear-like ears.