Spiritual Japan Journal

Spiritual Japan Journal

Why Are There So Many Deer in Nara?

Kasuga Taisha and the 1,300-Year History of Japan’s Sacred Deer

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Spiritual Japan Journal
Sep 16, 2026
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Did you know that there is a city in Japan where wild deer have been cherished as messengers of the gods for more than a thousand years?

About an hour south of Kyoto (京都) by train lies Nara (奈良), a city that served as Japan’s capital in the eighth century.

Near Nara Park (奈良公園), wild deer spend their days surprisingly close to people. They walk along the …

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