If you are new to Malcolm Ernst’s cartoons, find out how they are created and how the authors have turned it into a successful business in this earlier post.

Hey there, it’s me, Akie. I’m back at another famous mountain onsen in beautiful Akita Prefecture. My slightly frightened friends and I are just getting-in a final summer break onsen. We are also joined by Blacky, an Asian black bear who calls these mountains home. He was the creature that gave us such a fright last night!

“Sorry about that ladies, I was merely rummaging through the garbage looking for a little snack on my nocturnal visit to these parts.” Really!? We didn’t know you were nocturnal. We thought bears usually poked around for food during the day. This nighttime schedule you have is not really good for bijins who want to take a dip before going to bed.

“Generally, we’re not night owls, but with this unusually oppressive summer heat, and being labeled a ‘pest’, it is better to do our roaming around after hours, if you get my drift.”

We certainly do. That said, if you feel up to it tell us a bit about yourself…the bear facts, if you will!

“Well, as far as Akita bears are concerned we don’t usually wander down from the hills this far unless the weather is unseasonably intolerable for us, or there is a lack of our usual food supply. We are primarily gatherers and collectors more than outright hunters. Grubs, insects, seeds, acorns and other nuts. For the most part these are our staples and mighty tasty!

This menu though doesn’t stop us from exploring other delicacies. Being omnivores we also love all kinds of fruits and veggies. My favorite is skunk cabbage! But to be honest with you, we will eat just about anything that will fill-us up. A friend of mine helped himself to a farmer’s chicken house the other night and made the 6:00 o’clock news!”

Yeah, we saw that and it sounded a bit scary to us!

“Well, with the hibernation time just around the corner, I gotta fatten up a bit. This long winter sleep process that most bears go through, takes up a lot of energy, believe it or not… …Say, I’m feeling a little hungry right now…what’s for dinner?”

Kya! Let’s get out of here! We don’t want to be your dinner!!”

“Hey, wait, you forgot your towels…again! Gee, and I was hoping we could go to McDonalds or somewhere! Oh well, I saw a few grubs and ants over there so I guess I’ll go help myself!

“So, this is Blacky the “bijin bear” filling in for an absent Akie. Until next time, Ja, mata ne. Hehehehe!”