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Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Understanding local customs is where a journey begins. Find the topics that matter to you and feel at ease wherever you go.

2 rules found

Essential restrictionsEveryday mannersNara

Nara: feed the deer only shika senbei, nothing else

Do

  • Feed only the deer crackers (shika senbei) sold in the park
  • Show your open hands when you have run out
  • Keep plastic bags, paper bags, maps, and bags out of reach
  • Take your rubbish with you; there are few bins in the park
  • Stay beside children when they approach the deer

Don’t

  • Do not feed bread, snacks, drinks, or your own food
  • Do not tease deer by holding crackers out of reach
  • Do not chase, corner, or ride the deer
  • Do not approach or touch fawns; does guard them in spring and stags are edgy in autumn
  • Do not bring dogs near the deer

Nara's deer are a national natural monument, and feeding them anything other than deer crackers is prohibited in the park. Human food and swallowed plastic make them ill, and startled or impatient deer may butt you or tug at your clothes.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GLTJP: Interacting with the Nara Deer

Essential restrictionsPhotos & dronesKyoto

Kyoto Gion: no photos on private lanes, and do not chase geiko or maiko

Do

  • Keep to public streets such as Hanamikoji-dori
  • Check the sign at the entrance before entering any lane
  • Photograph general street scenes from public streets
  • To see maiko perform, book an ozashiki banquet or a show
  • Treat Gion as a neighborhood where people live

Don’t

  • Do not enter private lanes posted with no-photo signs
  • Do not shoot into a private lane from its entrance
  • Do not chase, surround, or stop geiko and maiko for photos
  • Do not pull at their kimono sleeves or hems

The private-lane photo ban has been enforced since 2019 by an association of Gion residents and shop owners. Signs state a 10,000 yen charge for violations, but accounts differ on whether it can be enforced; the posted amount applies. Violators are asked on the spot to leave.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Sumimasen Guide: Kyoto Gion Private Lanes Photo Rules