Inside Japan’s Magical Park Where Deers Bow to Humans For Food
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By Benny Luo
About 290 miles west of Tokyo, there’s a magical place called Nara where over 1,200 wild deer live in harmony.
![IMG_20170115_135300](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_135300.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
The deer are a symbol of the city and are considered national treasures.
![IMG_20170115_165059](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_165059.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
In Shinto tradition, deer are sacred messengers of the gods.
![IMG_20170115_150650](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_150650.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Back in ancient times, killing a deer was punishable by death.
![IMG_20170116_112137](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170116_112137.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Inside Nara itself is Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Kōen), a public park established in the 1300s and is one of the oldest parks in Japan.
![IMG_20170115_151142](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_151142.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
In Nara Park, hundreds of deer roam around and regularly interact with park visitors.
They’ve gotten so used to the presence of humans that they now see them as a source for food.
For 150 yen (roughly $1.30), you can buy deer crackers to feed them.
![IMG_20170115_163849_1](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_163849_1.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
While they can be cute and friendly, there are warning signs like these scattered all over.
![IMG_20170115_135733](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_135733.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Some were friendly and let us pet them.
Others were aggressive and would shove us and bite our jackets demanding food.
Fun fact: if you bow to the deer, they’ll bow back to you. Why? We have no clue.
If you’re patient enough, you might even be able to get a cool selfie.
![IMG_20170115_162502](https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_162502.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
They even know how to use crosswalks to navigate through the city.
Nara is a 2 hour bullet train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto, followed by a 40 minute subway ride to Kintetsu Nara Station.
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