Man in Bear Costume Trains Locals for Grizzly Encounters in Bizarre Drill (Video)

“Is this a joke?” Internet stunned by surreal grizzly safety exercise after string of bear encounters leaves Japanese town on edge

In what might be the most unintentionally hilarious public safety drill in recent memory, police in Japan have rolled out a bear attack training session starring… a man in a low-budget, floppy bear costume.

The bizarre footage—now racking up views worldwide—was filmed in Nikko, a tourist-heavy mountain city about 60 miles north of Tokyo. The goal? Prepare residents for the real threat of bear attacks after a recent spike in sightings and injuries. The result? A viral sensation and a mixed bag of reactions.

In the video, the man in the costume stumbles and flails through the street, mimicking a charging Asiatic black bear. One actor playing a bloodied victim is tackled in dramatic fashion before police move in—shouting commands, setting off firecrackers, and eventually “tranquilizing” the beast. Riot police swarm the faux grizzly with shields, poking it with batons to make sure the creature is down for good.

“I thought it was a mascot parade gone wrong,” said one stunned local who filmed part of the drill on her phone. “But then I saw the ‘bear’ take down a guy in red paint and I realized—this was actually serious.”

According to local authorities, the spectacle was no laughing matter. There have been three confirmed bear attacks in Tochigi Prefecture this year alone, with hikers and rural residents most at risk.

“Bear encounters are becoming more frequent as their habitats shrink and food becomes scarce,” warned Officer Hiroshi Tanaka, who helped coordinate the drill. “This isn’t just theater. We need the public—and our officers—to know exactly how to respond.”

Still, the sight of a man in what looks like a Halloween-store reject chasing people around a city square sparked confusion and mockery online.

“This is either genius or the beginning of a weird anime,” one X (formerly Twitter) user posted.

But behind the silliness lies a growing crisis. Japan has seen a surge in bear-related incidents nationwide, with more than 150 reported human injuries last year—the highest in over a decade. Wildlife officials blame climate change, shrinking forests, and poor food availability for driving bears closer to human settlements.

Nikko officials say they hope the over-the-top approach at least got people’s attention—and made the training memorable.

“We want people to laugh,” said drill organizer Keisuke Morita, “but also to learn how to stay alive.”

Whether the costume helped or hurt that mission is up for debate. But one thing’s clear: if a bear ever does come to town, Nikko’s ready—with riot shields, firecrackers, and one unforgettable training video.