DO NOT VISIT: I visited the Okuhida Bear Ranch and left feeling deeply uncomfortable. The bears are held in barren concrete enclosures with little stimulation or space to roam. Visitors can buy food to throw at them, which leads to unnatural begging and pacing, stress behaviours that were hard to watch. Seeing bear oil sold in the gift shop only added to that discomfort. If you care about animal welfare, you might want to skip this place.
We had a wonderful experience at Okuhida Bear Ranch. It was a unique opportunity to see bears up close, and my daughter especially enjoyed feeding them and watching their playful behavior. The visit was fun, memorable, and exciting for both of us. A great stop for families, and we are happy we went there!
Do not come to this place!! It’s animal cruelty. The bears are kept in small cages filled with their own feces. They are forced to perform like circus animals and fight each other because there are far too many bears kept together in one place. We thought it was a nice sanctuary for the bears, but we were very wrong.
This bear farm is very suitable for families with children. The bears are very cute, and kids especially love the experience of feeding them. A box of bear food costs only 100 JPY, which is a great price and makes the visit even more fun and interactive. The farm is also close to the ski resort, so it’s easy to stop by. Definitely a must-visit when you are in the Hida area!
20251229 - place accessible by bus. Got ticket with 20 percent discount with the Okuhida Marugoto Value Ticket. Though place is not huge, it houses a lot of japanese black bears. You can get cookies for 100 yen at vending machine or apples at vendor just beside park to throw and feed the bears. Some bears will stand and wave at you for food. It was adorable!. I jist hope though that the place can be larger for them to roam more freely.
