Nara Park (Deer Park)


Nara Park is a park of 660 hectares, vast and rich in nature. Shrines and temples such as Tōdai-ji, Kohfukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha housing invaluable historical cultural heritages, and are in harmony with the magnificently abundant green beauty. As a result, this park is referred to as a one-of-a-kind historical park.

Natural Monument: The Deer of Nara

The Deer of Nara are regarded as the messengers of the gods, or shinroku, from the legend that the god of Kasuga Taisha came down to the land of Nara riding on a white deer, and thus they have been protected with kindness for more than 1300 years. Presently, about 1,200 deer inhabit the precincts of Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park and its environs. Coexistence of humans and deer near a city is a global rarity, with the result that “The Deer of Nara” were designated as a natural monument of Japan in 1957 and have been carefully protected by the people. Most deer inhabiting Nara Park are accustomed people, but they are definitely wild herbivores that eat acorns and plants such as grass. In spring (May – June), does protect their babies before and after childbirth, and in autumn (August – November), bucks are in their rutting period, and they tend to have violent tempers and may attack people. Please be careful when coming in contact with the deer.

World Heritage Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara