-
Yamagata kids on way to school accidentally say “good morning” to wild bear
投稿日 2021年6月22日 22:00:58 (ニュース)
-
続・お知らせ。海外セレブゴシップ&ニュース
-
お知らせ
-
We spot the legendary dekotora Aki Kannon, dedicated to actress and singer Aki Yashiro
-
New Pokémon GU collaboration dresses all the family, including babies for the first time
-
How do European Cup Noodles taste to a Japanese palate?
-
We’ve been doing it wrong – Japanese genius shows us how we should all be making sandwiches【Pics】
-
The future is now with full face sunglasses
-
Natto-infused ramen is a thing — we tried it, we love it【Taste test】
-
Jellyfish and Halloween in perfect harmony at Sumida Aquarium event
-
Japanese toilet paper collection opens our minds as we open our butts
-
Aomori police on the lookout for man shouting unsolicited advice at kids about dating and ramen
-
Former Arashi members Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba get married… Wait, that didn’t come out right
-
Creator of Japan’s longest-running manga, Golgo 13, passes away, leaves fans one last gift
-
Crazy cheap cosplay at Daiso? How to transform into Dragon Ball’s Vegeta at the discount shop
-
7 Halloween-themed afternoon teas you won’t want to miss this year
-
Krispy Kreme Japan creates doughnut burgers that are a meal and two desserts all in one【Photos】
-
Get in the damn drift car, Shinji? Evangelion Tomika toy brings D1 machine home in miniature form
-
Demon Slayer Nichiren Blades ready for new duty: Slicing through your sweets as dessert knives
-
Man in Japan arrested for breaking into ex-girlfriend’s apartment to steal her Nintendo Switch
-
The Japanese Internet chooses the top too-sexy-for-their-own-good male voices in anime
-
First-ever Studio Ghibli x Russell Athletic range pays homage to My Neighbour Totoro
-
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan announces first expansion with new Donkey Kong area
-
Cup Noodle pouch satisfies our never-ending need for instant ramen
-
Retro Japanese train is our new favourite office space
-
How do Japanese fans feel about Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop opening sequence?
-
We try Uniqlo coffee at first-ever cafe inside Ginza flagship store
-
The number of elderly people in Japan this year has yet again smashed multiple records
-
Mr. Sato broadens his home drinking horizons at Kaldi【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
-
We try Japanese Twitter’s newest trend the Penguin Egg, end up hatching something very disturbing
-
Takoyaki makers surprisingly good at grilling meat for yakiniku too
Sponsored Link
Bear was reportedly very rude.
A lot has been said about how Japanese children often commute to school by themselves at an early age. Proponents of the custom say its a good way to teach children to be independent and solve problems on their own. Opponents, however, argue that it leaves kids vulnerable to random bear encounters.
Alright, maybe opponents don’t argue that, but they’ll probably start now, after a group of kids in Oguni Town, Yamagata Prefecture had a harrowing encounter on the morning of 21 June.
At about 7:45 a.m. five elementary students were on their way to school, being led by the eldest girl in the group. They were about 180 meters (590 feet) from the school when they spotted a human-like figure on the road. Adhering to proper manners, the eldest girl gave a hearty “Ohaiyougozaimasu! (Good morning!)” greeting.
▼ Greeting people with a certain level of enthusiasm and formality in school and the workplace is a custom instilled in Japanese people at a young age
However, upon closer inspection the person turned out to be a bear, but thanks to its species’ notorious lack of social graces the beast was unable to summon a proper response to the greeting and instead fled into the forest.
Not wanting to tempt fate, the kids immediately turned back home and got a parental escort to school that day.
▼ The approximate location of the incident was easy to find as there’s only one school and about three streets in the area
Sponsored Link
Police were also notified and have begun monitoring the area for bears every day. According to the local board of education, the area around the school has been experiencing a significant bear problem and parents have been requesting transportation to keep the kids safe. Three days earlier, a bear was also sighted by a nearby resident mowing his lawn.
Meanwhile, readers of the news were equally amused and horrified by the close call.
“Wait a minute…that’s too scary!”
“It’s like a cheesy comedy sketch.”
“I know a few people who could be mistaken for bears, so this makes sense.”
“It’s not funny at all, but I can’t help but laugh a little bit.”
“Maybe the bear is socially awkward.”
“Asian black bears usually won’t attack people unless they’re raising cubs.”
According to the Yamagata prefectural government, based on past experiences, the best course of action when encountering a bear is to calmly walk in the opposite direction and keep a steady distance if it is following you.
Although there is no solid data on the matter, we should assume that saying “good morning” to a bear is not a recommended way to repel it.
However, the opposite sounds very promising. By that I mean you can probably get good results by telling little kids to always greet people properly because one day that person might actually be a bear and it will scare them away.
Source: Yamagata News Online, Yamagata Prefectural Government, Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: Pakutaso
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Source: SORA NEWS24
Sponsored Link
最新情報