Wild bear watching attracts hikers to Hokkaido national park

Hiking through the hills of a national park in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido has become popular for the opportunity it presents to see wild brown bears in their natural environment.The hiking route in the Daisetsuzan National Park is open only from late June to early October -- and closed when the park's brown bear information center judges conditions too dangerous.Hikers are allowed to walk the trail without a guide after hearing a lecture about brown bears, including prohibited behaviors such as cooking in the forest, locations where visitors should not eat, and never to le…READ FULL ARTICLE