A city in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, has closed to the public ancient ruins designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site after three bears were sighted in the area.
The Omori Katsuyama Stone Circle located at the foot of Mount Iwaki in Hirosaki City is one of a number of Jomon period ruins in Hokkaido and northern Tohoku registered as a World Heritage site in 2021. It is believed to have been built around 3,000 years ago.
The city banned entry into the site starting Wednesday afternoon after three bears were spotted crossing the road near a parking lot at the ruins earlier in the day.
Officials say tours of the ruins guided by volunteers on weekends and public holidays will be suspended for the time being.
The officials say it is not known when the ban on entry will be lifted. They say they will make a judgement based on sightings of bears and other conditions.
In August 2023, the ruins were closed for three days after bears were sighted there.
A series of sightings of bears around Mount Iwaki has had an impact on the area. An outdoor recreation facility has announced it will suspend operations for this season at the end of this month.
by Dapper-Material5930