How Do You Stay Safe Around Biei? Tokachidake, Bears, Cold and 110/119

Published 2026-10-04 · Sources checked 2026-10-04 · Treasure Hunting Co., Ltd.

This guide is for visitors who want to know what to check for safety around Biei. The main item right now is Mount Tokachidake, which has been at Volcanic Alert Level 3 since 12 September 2026. The guide also covers brown bears, the cold, and the emergency numbers.

We used the Biei town office, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Biei Tourism Association. All pages were read on 2026-10-04. Volcano information changes quickly, so read the JMA page on the day you go. This guide is not an emergency plan.

Tokachidake: what the town says

The town office page on Tokachidake reports that on 12 September 2026 at 9:30 am, the Sapporo District Meteorological Observatory raised the alert level from 2 to 3, which means entry restrictions. The page says large earthquakes had increased at the volcano.

It tells people to watch for large cinders within roughly 3 km of the crater, because an eruption may occur. The town adds that this restriction covers the area around the crater only. It says it is not a restriction on the Shirogane district or the residential areas, and that Shirogane Onsen is operating as usual.

The page shows the latest JMA bulletin of 25 September 2026. It says the Level 3 warning continued. It also says that Prefectural Road 966, which leads from the Bogakudai gate to Tokachidake Onsen, was closed to traffic between the gate and the hot spring, while Bogakudai itself could be reached.

The same page records two earlier small eruptions at the 62-2 crater, on 22 July and 6 August 2026. After the August eruption, the town asked people to stay well away from the area within 1.5 km of the crater.

Tokachidake: what JMA shows today

JMA's national page for volcano climbers, read on 2026-10-04, lists Tokachidake among the volcanoes with a warning in force. It gives the warning as a crater-area warning, at Alert Level 3 with the keyword "entry restricted". It also shows a commentary on Tokachidake issued on 2 October 2026 at 16:00.

JMA explains that a near-crater warning is issued for non-residential areas near the crater when the level is 3. Warnings for residential areas are issued only when the level is 4 or 5. Follow the instructions of the local authorities and do not enter restricted areas.

Brown bears

The town's page on bears says Biei and much of Hokkaido is brown bear habitat. It says the best way to avoid harm is to avoid bears, and it lists these steps:

• Check bear sighting information, which the town shows on a map.
• Do not go into the hills alone.
• Make noise as you walk, for example with a bell or radio.
• Do not leave food or rubbish behind.
• If you see droppings or tracks, turn back.
• Do not move around at dawn or dusk where bears have been seen.
• Avoid walking dogs where bears have been seen.

The page reports no sightings on its map of the Tokachidake trails for the 2025 fiscal year. That map is updated when new reports arrive, so it may have changed.

Cold and clothing

The tourism association's FAQ says that from February to March it gets very cold. Daytime highs run from 5°C down to minus 10°C and lows go below minus 15°C, so warm clothing and shoes are required. From June to October the daily range is large, with highs around 30°C and lows below 10°C. It recommends a jacket even in summer, because nights can be cold.

Emergency numbers

• 119, the fire department. For a fire or traffic accident, and when someone is seriously sick or injured.
• 110, the police. For a traffic accident, and when a crime has been committed.
• Japan Visitor Hotline. JNTO runs a 24-hour call centre in English, Chinese and Korean at 050-3816-2787.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says the ambulance service is available for anyone in Japan.

What we could not verify, and therefore left out

• Any change in the alert level after 4 October 2026.
• Whether Prefectural Road 966 is still closed. The town's page showed the situation on 25 September.
• Whether there have been bear sightings in the 2026 fiscal year.
• Whether 110 and 119 calls are answered in English. The official pages we read did not say.
• Winter road rules and the avalanche situation in the Tokachi range.

Related guides

• How do you get to Biei, and how do you travel around the hills?
• How do you visit the Biei hills and Blue Pond without harming the farms?

Sources

All URLs retrieved 2026-10-04.

1. 十勝岳について (Biei Town Office) — (raise to Level 3 on 12 September 2026; 3 km area; Shirogane normal; bulletin of 25 September; Road 966; eruptions of 22 July and 6 August)
2. 火山登山者向けの情報提供ページ (Japan Meteorological Agency) — (Tokachidake under a crater-area warning at Level 3; commentary of 2 October 2026)
3. Volcanic Warnings and Volcanic Alert Levels (Japan Meteorological Agency) — (which warnings are issued at which level)
4. 熊の出没情報について (Biei Town Office) — (brown bear habitat; steps to take; sighting maps)
5. FAQ (Biei Tourism Association) — (climate and clothing)
6. For safe travels in Japan - Guide for when you are feeling ill (Japan National Tourism Organization) — (119 and 110; Japan Visitor Hotline)
7. Guide for Ambulance Services (Fire and Disaster Management Agency) — (the ambulance service is available for anyone in Japan)