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Habitat loss and bear-human conflicts are reported throughout Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) range. Sound understanding of Asiatic black bear food habits and ecology is needed to develop effective conservation policies to protect or restore Asiatic black bear habitat and to reduce bear-human conflicts. We documented food habits and aspects of the feeding ecology of Asiatic black bears with access to an alpine zone in the Northern Japanese Alps from 408 scats, 220 bear feeding platforms in trees, 469 radiolocations obtained from 21 bears, and field observations between September 1995 and November 1999. Bears ate oak (Quercus spp.) acorns from the previous fall and dwarf bamboo (Sasa spp.) leaves and shoots in spring; succulent plants and soft mast, especially Japanese cluster cherry (Prunus grayana), in summer; and hard mast, especially oak acorns, in fall. Bears ate insects in all seasons, with a peak in summer, and also ate Japanese serow (Naemorhedus crispus) on at least 6 occasions. In summer, bears that moved to alpine elevations relied on succulent plants; bears that remained at lower elevations relied on soft mast. In fall, all bears moved to hard-mast producing areas in broad-leaved forests at lower elevations in the montane zone. Montane broad-leaved forests seem important for Asiatic black bear survival in the Northern Japanese Alps. It may be important to give these forests more protection than they currently receive.