Nara Park Deer
Without question the biggest draw in Nara, Japan, the deer of Nara Park have attained worldwide celebrity status.
The deer of Nara park are considered a national treasure in Japan.
Cute, but sometimes quite pushy, Nara Park deer are famous for “bowing” to receive their rice cracker treats known as shika senbei.
Deer live in Nara Park year round. They are called shika deer: shika is the Japanese word for deer.
With a population that ranges between 1,200 to 1,400 deer, it’s no surprise that Nara Park is on the bucket list of many first-time visitors to Japan.
Read on to learn more about the famous Nara Park deer!
Planning a trip? Visit our Nara Park home page for the complete rundown on every single detail!
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Why are the deer of Nara Park considered sacred?
Legend has it that Takemikazuchi (Takemi Kajichi no Mikoto), the Japanese god of thunder, rode to Nara from the Kashimi Shrine upon a sacred white deer.
Takemikazuchi is enshrined at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine at Nara Park.
The deer had a scroll in its mouth, and Takemikazuchi told the humans he encountered on his ride into Nara that the deer would henceforth carry reports about them to the gods.
The deer of Nara have been considered sacred since then. They are afforded protection and respect as “messengers of the gods.”
What do you feed the deer at Nara Park?
Special rice crackers, called shika senbei, are available for purchase at Nara Park, and these crackers are what visitors typically feed the deer.
Why do the deer at Nara Park bow?
The deer at Nara Park are very used to humans, and the “bowing” is learned behavior: they have learned that they get shika senbei upon bowing their heads!
Are the deer at Nara Park aggressive?
The deer at Nara Park are wild animals, even if they are somewhat used to interacting with humans.
They may nudge, nibble, or butt you if they think you have food. So if you’ve bought crackers to feed the deer, do so promptly and then put up your hands to show you have no more food to give, and they should leave you alone.
Do the deer at Nara Park only eat the rice crackers they are fed?
While the Nara Park deer enjoy the rice cracker treats provided by visitors, they can find their own food.
They eat grass, of course, and plants and low-hanging leaves off trees.
When can you see baby deer at Nara Park?
There are several hundred does at Nara Park. Does give birth in the spring.
The does and their fawn are held at the Roku-en Deer Center until the baby deer are old enough to be released into the park.
If you visit in June, you can visit the Roku-en Center and see the baby deer!
What is the Nara deer calling ceremony?
Starting in the late 19th century, a seasonal event called shikayose (deer call) happens multiple times a year at Nara Park, in a section known as Tobihino, on the grounds of the Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
During the event, every morning a player “calls” the deer using a French horn.
Several dozen deer arrive at the summons to enjoy the nuts scattered on the ground around the horn player. The deer feed as the player performs Beethoven’s 6th Symphony Pastoral. The performance lasts about 15 minutes.
Visitors can view the ceremony and feed the deer rice crackers. It is a unique ceremony you must not miss if you happen to visit Nara when the event is on.
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