Nara · Nara Park
Nara Park
Nara Park opened on 14 February 1880. As a prefectural park it covers about 511 hectares, most of it forest on the hills east of the city, and Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji, Todai-ji and the National Museum stand inside it or beside it. It is open all year, 24 hours a day, and free.
The deer are wild animals, not zoo animals, and they are designated a National Natural Monument. According to legend, the god Takemikazuchi came to Nara from Kashima Shrine riding a white deer, and so the deer are considered messengers of the gods of Kasuga Taisha. In the count by the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation on 15 and 16 July 2026 there were 1,687: 411 males, 990 females and 286 fawns, 222 more than the year before.
The deer crackers, shika-senbei, are sold in bundles of 10 for ¥200, tied with a paper band from the foundation. They have no sugar and no seasoning, and according to the foundation they are a snack and not a main food. Part of the income from them funds the protection of the deer. Human food, such as bread, sweets and vegetables, and also paper, can poison them and even kill them.
Good to know
- When a deer asks, give it a cracker without hesitating. According to the foundation, pretending you have one or deliberately making it wait stresses the deer and can make them aggressive. When you run out, open both hands to show there is no more.
- From September to November the males are in rutting season, and from mid-May to July the females give birth and protect their fawns. In both seasons they may attack. Children are at higher risk of being butted, because their eyes are at the same height as the deer's eyes.
- Plastic bags, maps and brochures are what the deer snatch from your hand, and that is dangerous for them: the foundation displays a 4 kg lump of plastic waste found in a deer's stomach. Keep everything in a closed bag.
- There are no trash bins in the park, so take everything with you. Wash your hands after touching the deer.
What is nearby
Approximate walking minutes from the entrance of Nara Park.
- HereNara Park
- ~4 min
Kamameshi Shizuka, Koen-ten Food
Kamameshi, rice with toppings cooked in a small pot over a direct flame, from a chain founded in Nara more than 60 years ago. 43 seats. Closed on Tuesday (except on holidays) and one more day a month, in October 2026 on the 19th. You can reserve a table.
- ~4 min
Warabe Yorokobian, Yumekaze Hiroba Food
Handmade soba from a restaurant that started in Kita-Shinchi in Osaka, with a menu that changes by season. Nameko soba ¥1,200, soba with tempura ¥2,000. 30 seats, and a menu in several languages. At Yumekaze Hiroba.
- ~4 min
Tenpyoan, Yumekaze Hiroba Cafe
A wagashi shop, handmade Japanese sweets made from Nara ingredients, with a seating area. Most items ¥180 to ¥350. Closed only on 1 January.
- ~6 min
Higashimuki Shopping Street Street
A covered arcade that runs south from Kintetsu Nara Station to Sanjo-dori. The name, 'facing east', comes from the time when the buildings of Kofuku-ji stood on the east side, so houses were built only on the west side, all with their fronts facing east. Food, souvenirs and everyday shops.
- ~10 min
Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Nara Main Store Shopping
The flagship store of Nakagawa Masashichi, a company from Nara that sells housewares and handicraft products from all over Japan.
- ~10 min
Ukimido Pavilion More to see
A hexagonal pavilion that seems to float on Sagi Pond and is reflected in the water. Free.
- ~12 min
Rokuen (Nara Deer Sanctuary) More to see
The deer foundation's protection facility, where injured and sick deer are brought. A viewing path and an exhibition about the deer, renovated and reopened in March 2026. Free, with a requested donation of ¥100. Closed during the antler-cutting ceremony in early November.
More in Nara Park
Appears in: Nara: the deer, the Great Buddha and the lantern shrine