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Noboribetsu Bear Park
（Source：Kinden K/flickr）
Noboribetsu Bear Park is a very popular sightseeing spot on the 550 m above sea level mountaintop of Shihorei (commonly called Kuma-yama meaning bear mountain), which is located southeast of Noboribetsu Hot Spring, one the most famous hot spring villages in Japan. Noboribetsu Bear Park is a guest ranch that keeps about 140 free-range brown bears and Asian black bears. You can see them close, feed them, and can see them perform a show of balancing a ball, jumping through a flaming hoop, and riding a bike.
- Address
- 4224 Noboribetsu Onsen-cho, Noboribetsu-shi, Hokkaido
- Contact No.
- +81-143-84-2225
- Access
- From Noboribetsu Station on JR, take Donan bus bound for Noboribetsu Onsen for 15 min, get off at Noboribetsu Onsen Bus Terminal, walk for 5-min and reach the ropeway, get off at Sancho Station (7-min ropeway ride)
- Opening Hours / Holidays
- 8:00-17:00 (About 20 days closed during wintertime)
- Official Website
- http://www.bearpark.jp/index.htm
- Time Required
- 90 minutes
- Admission fee
- 2,592 yen for adults, 1,296 yen for children (4 years old to elementary school students) *ropeway fare is included.
※ Some information is displayed in Japanese and machine-translated English, which may not be accurate.
For the latest information, please check the official website for each spot.
（Source：動物写真のブログ）
Experience to Feed Ezo Brown Bears on the Scrounge
You can feed Ezo brown bears that are reared here. Buy special food for them and stand ready by the cage, as they will appeal to you standing up and raising their hands and look like they are almost pleading to you by saying "give it to me!"
（Source：niyan / PIXTA(ピクスタ)）
Surprising "Cage for Humans"
The First Ranch is for male Ezo brown bears, and here, there is a "Cage of Humans." It is for human beings to be in with glass walls for you to study bears by carefully examining their eyes, ears, nose, and coat.
（Source：のぼりべつクマ牧場）
Asian Black Bears' Show
You can enjoy the Asian black bears' show on the "Kumayama (bear mountain) Stage" on the site. They are good entertainers known as animals with good balance and dexterous paws. They show various performances such as swing rides, bike rides, handstands, balancing on a ball, and playing basketball.
（Source：のんきトラさん何処行くの？）
Brown Bear Museum
There is a Brown Bear Museum where stuffed specimens and skeletal preparations of each age from one day old till being an adult are displayed so that you can see each stage of growth. About 500 pieces of the documents related to bears are on display, and you can study about their origin, history, distribution map, and bear's biology.
（Source：Jiashiang/flickr）
Bear Park's Spectacular Viewing Spot: Lake Kuttara Observation Deck
Brown Bear Museum has Lake Kuttara Observation Deck on its rooftop, where you can enjoy the spectacular view of Raiba-dake (Mt. Raiba), Orofure Pass, and Lake Kuttara known as having the best water quality in all of the Japan. On a sunny day, you can even see the Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori prefecture over the sea.
（Source：バッドコアラ通信簿）
Ropeway
To reach Bear Park, you have to get on the ropeway at Sanroku Station in Noboribetsu hot spring village. It is a 7-minute and 1,260 m ride of a high-speed gondola on which you can a trip in the air.
（Source：動物写真のブログ）
Home of Yukara to Learn about Ainu Culture
On the site of Bear Park, there is a facility called "Home of Yukara" where you can learn about the native tribe of Hokkaido called Ainu. An old house of the Ainu is recreated here, and you can see about 300 pieces of housewares of Ainu people in Ainu Life Museum.