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