Nara’s Deer Population Thrives Amid Japan’s Tourism Boom
As Japan grapples with overtourism, the deer in Nara, the ancient capital outside Kyoto, benefit from the influx of visitors. While locals deal with the challenges of mass tourism, these deer thrive in the UNESCO-recognized city.
Nara’s deer feature prominently in the city’s tourism ads, on buses, train tickets, and in shops filled with deer-themed souvenirs like stuffed animals and antler headbands. A recent deer census in Nara Park counted 313 stags, 798 does, and 214 fawns, totaling 1,325 deer – an increase of 92 from last year.
Tourists flock to Nara not just for its historic sites like Todaiji Temple, one of the world’s largest wooden structures, but mainly to meet the polite, bowing deer. Vendors sell special rice bran “Shika Senbei” treats, which the deer eagerly accept. Nobuyuki Yamazaki from the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation explained, “A constant increase in the number of deer crackers eaten has led to more active reproduction of the deer. More tourists mean more crackers, making it easier for the deer to get them.”
However, the surge in human-deer interactions isn’t all positive. Some deer have grown too accustomed to people and too aggressive in seeking treats. “As the number of deer and humans increases, so do the problems,” Yamazaki added. “We’ve seen more accidents with people being pushed over or bitten by deer in recent years.”
During the pandemic, when Japan closed to international tourists, a study from Nara Women’s University observed that fewer deer bowed. “A long time ago, the deer in Nara feared humans and might have started bowing due to stress,” explained Professor Yoichi Yusa, who led the study. “But as the city became a sightseeing spot, the deer learned to bow to people to get Shika Senbei rice crackers.” Government data shows 9.3 million people visited Nara in 2022.
Post-pandemic, Japan faces record-breaking tourist numbers, with over three million foreign visitors each month in March, April, and May. To manage this influx, some destinations have started charging tourist fees. Starting July 1, Mount Fuji capped daily visitors at 4,000 hikers, each paying 2,000 yen ($12.40). Similarly, Itsukushima Shrine near Hiroshima, visited by US President Joe Biden in 2023, now charges an entry fee for the first time in its thousand-year history.
Despite the overtourism challenges, Nara’s deer continue to thrive, charming global visitors with their unique behavior and becoming an enduring symbol of this historic city.
Re-reported from the article originally published in CNN.
