Baffling Summer Phenomenon Has Over 600 Wild Deer Gathering Daily in a Japanese Park

 

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A visit to the city of Nara in Japan’s Nara Prefecture will have you seeing more wild deer than you ever imagined. The friendly free-roaming creatures are all over Nara Park! There are nearly 1,400 of them—making it a popular destination for travelers who want to feel like they're in a fairy tale. There are plenty of biscuits for sale to offer to the deer as a snack, and the curious creatures aren't shy about approaching you for a tasty treat.

The summer marks a phenomenon in Nara Park. The deer, who will always follow you around for a wafer, momentarily retreat once the sun begins to set. Called shikadamari, it translates to “deer gathering spot.” For an hour, roughly 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, nearly half the deer population sits together in the corner of the park near the Nara National Museum. Once this period of relaxation is over, they go their separate ways to other areas of the park.

It's unknown why the deer gather at sunset during the summer. Their meeting spot is near a large air vent in the ground, so perhaps they are enjoying the cool spot. Even though the reasons for shikadamari are unclear, one thing's for sure: if you find yourself close to Nara Park, you’ve got to see the deer! Scroll down to see what it's like.

Nara Park, also known as Nara Deer Park, is home to nearly 1,400 wild deer.

 

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Most of the time, these friendly creatures are looking for a tasty snack.

 

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But in the summer, for roughly an hour in the evening, half of the deer population gathers at a corner of the park and relaxes.

 

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It's called shikadamari, and no one can explain why it happens—but it is an amazing sight.

 

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h/t: [SoraNews24]

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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