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The Deer Of The Gods In Nara Park

Fall of Japan.

It is the most beautiful season.

I saw a beautiful morning at Nara Park.

You will soon get to love japan autumn.

Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Kōen) is a large park in central Nara.

The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer.

Wild deer coexisting with the city.

Many of our contemporary Japanese do not know why so many deers inhabit as such.

I studied about the mysterious Nara Park.

Considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods, Nara’s nearly 1500 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure.

There is a legend that in AD768, the first of the four gods of Kasugataisha Shrine was invited down from Kashima in Ibaraki Prefecture just North of Tokyo.

The deity travelled all the way to Mt Mikasa on a white deer.

Thereafter, deer were considered sacred, and killing one was punishable by death.

After WWII, the deer were officially stripped of their sacred status, but are still protected in Nara.

The park itself offers pleasant strolling paths with plum and cherry blossoms in the spring and beautiful multi-coloured leaves in the autumn.

There are many mysterious festivals and traditions in Japan.

Let’s go on a journey to know Japanese culture with the seasons.

If you go: Nara is a 45-minute Japan Rail train ride from either Osaka or Kyoto stations. From Nara station it’s a 20-minute walk (or take the local bus) to Nara Park and Todai-ji.

You surely will love japan autumn.

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The Deer Of The Gods In Nara Park

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Hidenobu Suzuki

Hidenobu Suzuki