Hangin' with the Hokkaido Brown Bears

On our second day in Noboribetsu we went to the Bear Park. If you had to pick an animal to represent the island of Hokkaido, it would be the Hokkaido Brown Bear. Reportedly, there are about 3,000 bears in Hokkaido. If you had to pick a place to see them, the Bear Park would be among the safest. Given the chance, they do attack humans.

Located up the side of a mountain, the Bear Park is accessed by several methods as pictured here. Just getting there was part of the fun.

 

Ruben and Phil chose to use the chair lift while Buzz and Yukari hiked up the paved walkway, carrying Ren.

Then we all rode the "ropeway" (cable-driven car) up the rest of the mountain.

Ruben feeding his "favorite bear."    

Ruben feeding a bear from the "Human Cage," designed to experience the feeling of an animal being targeted by bears surrounding it. Feeding occurs by using a spring-loaded device to shoot the dry food nuggets down a pipe into the bear's mouth.

Ren, demonstrating an effective way to eat udon noodles.

Heading back down the mountain.

After all the activity, Renbo could bear-ly stay awake.