Deer of Nara (奈良の鹿)

Deer in Nara Park are very popular among tourists visiting Nara, and you can even feed them with food called “shika senbei” (deer crackers).
Although the deer here are friendly, they are not domesticated deer but “natural deer”.

There are about 1,200 deer in Nara Park, and you can see them on the park lawn, around Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, on Mount Wakakusa, and on sidewalks and roadways.

So why do we see so many deer in Nara Park?

It originates from the fact that when the gods came to Mount Mikasa, the sacred area of Kasuga Taisha Shrine, they came riding on white deer.
Thus, even today, deer in Nara are treated with great care as messengers of the gods.

Precautions when interacting with the deer

Also please note the following precautions when interacting with the deer.

• Feed the deer only special deer crackers.
• Don’t let the deer eat paper or plastic.
• Stay away from male deer during matig season.(July-November)
• Don’t touch fawns(baby deer). If a fawn smells of humans, its mother may abondon it.

Travel Guide Nara