A man escaped with his life thanks to a pair of pruning shears after he was attacked by a bear in Hokkaido, police said Monday.

According to police, Takashi Okabe, 53, was picking edible wild plants in the mountains with his son and a friend in Hokkaido's Shinhidaka on Sunday morning when the incident occurred. TBS reported that shortly after arriving at the mountains at around 10 a.m., Okabe called the emergency services to report that he had been attacked by a 2-meter-tall bear.

Okabe was struck multiple times across the face and chest by the animal, but was able to prevent serious injury by stabbing the bear using a pair of pruning shears he had carried with him.

Doctors say Okabe's life is not in danger and that he remains conscious. Teams reportedly searched for the bear but could not locate it. Police are warning residents to be on their guard against bear attacks in the area.

© Japan Today