Make friends with the sacred but cheeky deer in Nara Park.
No visitor to Nara can escape a curious nudge from one of the city’s 1,200 sacred deer. Believed to be messengers of Shinto gods, deer are now a designated national treasure. Deer, which are usually docile and friendly with children, add an extra level of fun to visits to temples in Nara. However, you’ll want to keep an eye out for your picnic lunch and anything else edible or otherwise that escapes you. Stalls and shops sell cookies to feed deer.