For many people of this world, seeing a herd of deer would be simply unimaginable and mostly a part of a television program unless you live in or visit Nara, a city in Japan known for its historical sites and deer.
Deer in Nara have been considered sacred animals and a good omen. As a result, they enjoyed protection and were not allowed to be harmed for almost a millennium. Thus, they could roam freely around the city.
More than 1000 deer live in and around Nara, and if they wish to lounge on the street, they certainly will. People in Nara will simply reroute the traffic around them and continue their lives as usual.
And while being a roadblock might be considered rude, the deer learned a very polite trait of bowing for food as well, especially for their favorite treat, a deer cracker called “shika senbei.”
The crackers are mostly there for the tourists to feed the deer. The deer will bow for them relentlessly until you wave goodbye, which signals that there are no more crackers.
Besides occasional chilling on the road, the deer also know the traffic rules, most of the time. Surprisingly, they have learned to cross the streets over the pedestrian crossings and even wait for the signals.
All in all, it is beautiful to see how people and animals coexist in this wonderful, almost magical city that continues a tradition and considers deer a national treasure.
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