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The sense of smell in dogs is about 1,000 times greater than a human’s.
The brown bear’s sense of smell is 5 to 10 times stronger than a dog’s.
It is said that a bear can detect the scent of an apple tree from as far as 5 kilometers away.

Please remember this
Normal bears eat bland-tasting food such as wild vegetables, raw fish, and ants.
Berries and nuts also taste almost exclusively of themselves.

Brown bears are animals with a very strong obsession with food.
Learning the taste of human food causes bears to change their behavior, making them approach people.


In this way, the distance between bears and humans is gradually shrinking,
creating a dangerous situation.

Humans can never outrun a bear.
Bears can run up to 50 kilometers per hour, covering 100 meters in about 7.2 seconds.
Even Usain Bolt cannot compete with that speed.

To Protect the Nature and Life of Hokkaido

For us to spend time safely and enjoyably in nature, I believe it is essential to first have respect for nature itself, and for the animals and plants that live there.

Since ancient times in Japan, people have believed that deities reside in the natural world (the Yorozu-no-kami, or Eight Million Gods), granting us blessings. Furthermore, the Ainu people, the indigenous inhabitants of Hokkaido, have lived in this harsh environment based on the same deep-seated belief.

My current activities (this sticker-based awareness campaign) may not hold direct meaning for the bears that have already strayed into cities such as Akita, Iwate, and Sapporo.

However, in Shiretoko, a major tourist destination, I believe that the possibility of unfortunate encounters with humans remains extremely high, even after population control (culling) has been implemented.

This is because many tourists do not realize why feeding and littering are harmful, nor do they understand the chain reaction where a bear, having been given human food, drastically changes its behavior and escalates into a dangerous state, sometimes being dubbed a “man-eater.“

[A Message of Gratitude]

A local high school student, who sympathized with my concerns, created this wonderful manga. She told me she struggled greatly with depicting the bears’ expressions and that “drawing the cars was difficult.” I am deeply grateful. Thank you for creating such a wonderful piece!

[To All Visitors of Hokkaido]

Hokkaido is a region where life is extremely challenging for humans, as well as for animals and plants, including bears—with temperatures dropping to -20°C and snow accumulation exceeding one meter in winter.

However, it is precisely because of this harsh environment that the cycle of life itself feels more precious and magnificent.

To all of you who feel that Hokkaido is a beautiful land, we strongly ask for your cooperation on the following three points to protect this natural cycle:

① Please do not feed wild animals.
② Please never approach wild animals.
③ Please do not litter or discard trash.

We sincerely hope that as many people as possible will understand and adhere to these three critical points.

Harukoma Bakery Owner Tamiya Kurihara
(Obihiro Resident & Initiator of this Awareness Campaign)

So that bears can be satisfied with the bounty of the forest and live in peace:

Not leaving behind food that acts as a “lure” in human habitats is the only way to protect their future and ours.

Maintaining the boundary between the forest and human habitats protects the safety of both them and us.
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