Nara Park is one of the top rated things to see in Japan right now and there is a good reason why!

The reason it is so big is that you can get up close and personal with wild deer- yes, they are wild- and they will bow for food! But why are all these deer here? Well, deer in Japan are actually considered very sacred because it is believed that the first of the four gods of Kasugataisha Shrine traveled to Nara on a white deer, so killing one used to be punishable by death. That’s not the case now, but you will go to prison, and these deer seem too cute to hunt anyway, they are protected by the government, so they get to roam freely in Nara. And since people feed them all day long, they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

We decided we had to go see these deer for ourselves, so  after watching a few videos on Nara and learning the best way to visit, we set off super early and got there at about 8am, which was perfect considering at 11am there were hundreds of people in the park all feeding the deer. When we got there, there were only a handful of people, so we got some really good pictures and videos with the deer and  with not many people in the back of them. They sell the crackers the feed the deer for 200 yen each, and we got one pack for each of us. The first part of the park we walked into had tons of deer, some already waiting for food and some still sleeping. As soon as I got a cracker out, a few started to make there way over… this is when I realized our mistake. Since we were the only people around with food, all the deer started to surround us, and it got very intense very fast. We got out of there and decided to move to another section of the park where the deer were more spread out and easier to feed. But that didn’t stop one from sneaking up behind you and tugging on your shirt or head-butting you. The deer were more aggressive than we realized, so we tried to stay around the baby/smaller deer more since they didn’t get as close to you. Once we learned the best way to do it, it was super fun.

Once you get a cracker in your hand, the deer will come up and bow for it, and it’s probably the cutest thing you will ever see. They move their heads down super quick, hoping their trick will get them a treat. Not all of them do this, but most of the ones we fed (and ones we didn’t feed) did it. After that, you give them the cracker and they actually take it out of your hands super gently, so no need to worry about losing a finger. I think the two packs of crackers were the perfect amount to get around the park and feed a few here and there. I would definitely suggest walking farther into the park because it is very beautiful and the deer are not hard to come by.

If you’re planning a trip to Nara park here’s the tips I recommend,

Tips

– Get there early, the park fills up with hundreds of people around 10 and by the afternoon the deer are no longer hungry, so if you want some good pictures and videos, I recommend 8 am.

– Whenever you run out of food, show your empty hands to the deer and shake them, most of the time they will realize you’re done and will leave you alone but if they don’t, try putting your hand on their head so they stop walking towards you.

-Put your crackers in a bag and only get out a couple at a time and split those in half so you don’t feel overwhelmed when they are trying to bombard you asking for food.

-Remember they are WILD animals so they will bite, push, and kick you if they get upset, so don’t try to antagonize them.

-Keep your pockets, bags, and purses closed, I saw a few deer reaching into peoples pockets for a snack.

– Wear shoes you’re willing to get dirty, you are in a park with hundreds of deer, stepping on poop is inevitable.