Nara 2019: The deer of Nara

In addition to its famous temples, Nara is home of hundreds of deer that freely roam around the town. Most of these deer are concentrated in Nara Park and although they are not tame they have no fear of humans. Nara’s deer were considered to be messengers of the gods in ancient times and today they are an official symbol of the city. When exploring the park visitors can purchase crackers to feed the deer and over the years some of the deer have figured out that humans are more likely to feed them if they bow their heads. From my experience, the deer in the open fields in the middle of Nara Park tend to be more aggressive and can mob visitors if they smell the crackers, while the deer around the edges of the park (particularly on the pathway leading to Kasuga Taisha) are more docile and more inclined to bow.