Do Nara Deer Bite? Japanese Visitors on Nibbled Jackets, Antler Taps and the Empty-Hands Trick
ๅฅ่ฏใฎ้นฟใฏๅใใฎใ๏ผใๅฅ่ฏใฎ้นฟใใใในใๅฑใ่ฅฒใใชใ็็ฑใใฎใณใกใณใๆฌ๏ผ
By Rakutaro ยท Tokyo, Japan
Yes, they nip, and almost always when you are holding deer crackers. The most-liked first-hand story (330 likes) under a Nara deer channel's video describes a big stag tapping one visitor's back with its antlers and an antlerless deer nibbling their jacket until the senbei were gone, then the whole group drifting off the moment they held out empty hands. The top comment overall (413 likes) explains why the cracker stalls themselves never get raided: the vendors beat up any deer that tries. A reply says people who live around Nara Park learn their distance as kids by being kicked, bitten and butted, and a few visitors share the moves that keep you out of trouble.
โI bought deer crackers and tried to hand them out a little at a time, but the deer rushed me and closed in, so that was impossible. A deer with big antlers kept tapping my back with them like "give me some too," and one without antlers nibbled my jacket like "me too," so I had no time to break the crackers and just handed them all out as fast as I could ๐ But once they were gone and I held both hands out in front of me, they understood that meant it was over and scattered like the tide going out. That was amazing.โ
้นฟใใในใ่ฒทใฃใฆๅฐใใใคใใใใใจใใใใฉ้นฟใใใซๆฅใใใ่ฟซใใ็ก็ใ ใฃใใ่งใฎๅคงใใช้นฟใซ็งใฎ่ไธญใ่งใงใณใใณใใใใฆใใฃใกใซใๅฏ่ถใใจใ่งใฎใชใ้นฟใซใใฃใกใซใ้ ๆดใจ็งใฎไธ็ใใใทใฃใจใใใฆใใใในใใๅฒใไฝ่ฃใชใฉ็กใๆ้ใงใใใใฃใ๐ใงใ็กใใชใฃใฆไธกๆใๅใซใใใใจ็ตใใใฎๅๅณใจ็่งฃใใฆใใฆๆฝฎใๅผใใใใใซใใฉใใฆๅฑ ใชใใชใใฎใๅใใจๆใฃใใ
What Japanese visitors do instead
The battle starts the moment you buy the crackers. Have the exact change ready and, like a drug deal, don't meet the cracker lady's eyes, just say "One, please." Once you have them, say thanks and immediately start walking while you twist the bundle apart and take one cracker in one hand. When a deer comes up, break it about in half with one hand. Keep an eye out for any coming up from behind, and if you're about to get surrounded, crush one cracker in one hand and scatter it on the spot. If you stop walking, you lose. If it gets out of hand, "dump the crackers" and run. If you run with the crackers, of course they'll chase you.
็ ้ค ้ฃผใ็ฌ้ใใๆฆใใฏๅงใพใใใใชใ ไบๅใซใกใใใฉใฎ้้กใ็จๆใใ่ฌ็ฉๅๅผใฎใใใซ้นฟใใในใใฎใใฐใกใใใจ็ฎใๅใใใใ1ใคใ้กใใใพใใใจใ ใ่จใใ ๅใๅใฃใใ็คผใ่จใใคใคใใใซๆญฉใใชใใ้นฟใใในใใฎๆใๆปใฃใฆใใฉใใไธๆ็ๆใซๅใใ ้นฟใ่ฟใฅใใฆใใใ็ๆใงๅๅ็จๅบฆใซๅฒใฃใฆใใใ ่ๅพใใๆฅ่ฟใใๅไฝใซๆณจๆใๆใใชใใใๅใๅฒใพใใใใซใชใฃใใ้นฟใใในใใไธๆ็ๆใงๆกใใคใถใใฆใใฎๅ ดใซๅทปใใ ็ซใกๆญขใพใฃใใ่ฒ ใใ ใ ใใใๆใซ่ฒ ใใชใ็ถๆ ใซใชใฃใใใ้นฟ็ ้ค ใๆๆฃใใฆใ้ใใใใจใ ้นฟ็ ้ค ใๆใฃใฆ้ใใใ่ฟฝใใใใฆใใใซๆฑบใพใฃใฆใใใ
โ @sanniichikei68 likesGetting surrounded and hounded the moment I bought crackers from the stall was a little scary when I didn't know what to expect. A kid nearby told me "just feed them while you run away," so I did that from then on, but when I got back to the hotel that day I was covered in deer spitโฆ
้นฟใใในใๅฑใใ่ฒทใฃใ็ฌ้ใซๅใๅฒใพใใฆใใใพใใใฎใฏไบๅ็ฅ่ญใใชใใจ่ปฝใๆๆใ ใฃใใ ่ฟใใซใใๅญไพใใ้ใใชใใไธใใใฐใใใใจๆใใฆใใใใฎใงๆฌกใใใฏใใใๅฎ่ทตใใใใฉใใใฎๆฅใใใซใซๆปใฃใๆใฏ้นฟใฎใคใฐใพใฟใใซใชใฃใฆใใโฆใ
โ @TY-pf8bd0 likesThey're gentle deer, but if one kicks you with its hind legs you go flying. I was shocked when someone I know got sent flying. "I don't want you touching me" I go once every few years and touched the deer, but that kick was the real deal, so you'd better not touch them around the rear end.
ๅชใใ้นฟใใใฉใๅพใ่ใง่นดใฃ้ฃใฐใใใใจๅนใฃ้ฃใถ ็ฅใๅใใๅนใฃ้ฃใฐใใใใฎใใใใฏใชใใ ใใๅใซใฏ่งฆใใใใชใใญใใ ไฝๅนดใซไธๅบฆ่กใฃใฆ้นฟใใใซ่งฆใฃใใใฉใๆฌๆฐใฎ่นดใใๅใใฃใใฎใง ใๅฐป่พบใใใ่งฆใใฎใฏใใใใปใใใใ
โ @ใฏใใใ-i4v0 likes
Places named in this article
- Nara ParkNara
Where the cracker stalls and the deer are. Visitors say the deer wait near the stalls and close in the moment you buy a bundle.
Named in the source comments. Where a note gives a price, opening status or rule, we checked it against the linked source on the date shown โ everything else is what the comments said. All of it can change; check the map listing before you go.
FAQ
- Do Nara deer bite?
- Yes, but it is nipping rather than attacking, and almost always when you are holding deer crackers. Visitors describe clothes and coats being chewed, antlers tapping their backs and the odd bite on the backside from a deer standing behind them. A reply says people who live around Nara Park learn their distance as kids by being kicked, bitten and butted.
- How do you get Nara deer to stop following you?
- Show them your empty hands once the crackers are gone. Visitors say the deer read that as the end and drift off. Until then, keep moving: a 68-like how-to says to walk while you break the bundle apart, never stop, and drop the crackers rather than run with them, and a kid once told a visitor to feed them while walking away.
- Why don't Nara deer attack the deer cracker stalls?
- Because the vendors discipline them. One commenter (393 likes) says the stall lady told them as a child that she is stronger than the deer, and another (106 likes) describes a vendor thrashing any deer that comes near with a bamboo broom. A former neighbor of the park adds that deer still sneak bites from unguarded shelves.
- Is it safe to touch the deer in Nara Park?
- Be careful around the back end. One visitor warns not to touch them near the rear after seeing someone they know sent flying by a hind-leg kick. Others say that being surrounded is genuinely scary even though the deer look gentle, and that what looks like a bow can feel more like being stared down.
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What Japanese visitors said โ picked from the top 200 of 499 comments
I went to Nara Park yesterday. It's true they don't raid the shops or stalls, they just hang around nearby. If you're holding deer crackers, they bite your clothes and headbutt you nonstop lol They beg you to hurry up and hand them over. But when you run out, if you show your hands like "no more," they seem to get it. So smart ๐ฆ
ๆจๆฅๅฅ่ฏๅ ฌๅใซ่กใใพใใ ็ขบใใซๅฃฒๅบใๅฑๅฐใชใฉใฏ่ฅฒใฃใฆใชใใฆ่ฟใใซใฏใใใฃใฆๆใใงใใ ้นฟใใในใใๆใฃใฆใใใฐใจใซใใๆใๅใพใ้ ญ็ชใใw ๆฉใใกใใใ ใใจใชใใใชใใใพใ ใงใ็กใใชใฃใๆใซใใใใชใใใใจๆใ่ฆใใใฐใกใใใจ็่งฃใใฆใใใฆใใใใใงใ ใใใใใงใ๐ฆ
The moment you buy crackers at the stall you get surrounded and hustled for them ๐ Now and then a deer behind you bites you on the butt lol
็ ้ค ๅฑใง้นฟใใในใ่ฒทใฃใ็ดๅพใซ้นฟใซๅฒใพใใฆ็ ้ค ใใใใใใพใ๐ ใใพใซๅพใๅดใฎ้นฟใใใๅฐปใๅใพใใพใw
They had me locked on while I was still buying the crackers. They really are smart. I had no time to break them up, so I gave them out one whole cracker at a time and they were gone in no time. One almost chewed my coat and I was scared ๐ข
้นฟใใในใ่ฒทใฃใฆใๆใใใญใใฏใชใณใใใ ๆฌๅฝใซ่ณขใใจๆใ ๅฒใฃใฆใใใไฝ่ฃใชใใ็กใใฆ 1ๆใใคใใใฆใใฎใงใใ็กใใชใฃใ ใณใผใใใใใใใใใซใชใๆใใฃใ๐ข
People who live around Nara Park get kicked, bitten, butted (with antlers) and have their own food taken by deer from the time they're kids, and that's how they learn the right distance to keep.
โ@ใใชใฑใ-v9zๅฅ่ฏๅ ฌๅๅจ่พบใซไฝใใงใใไบบใฏๅญใฉใใฎๆใใใ้นฟใซ่นดใใใๅใพใใ็ชใใ๏ผ่งใง๏ผใ่ชๅใฎ้ฃๆใๅใใใชใใใ้ฉๅใช่ท้ขๆใ่ฆใใฆใใใฎใงใใ
Because if they raid the stall, the vendor beats them up
่ฒฉๅฃฒๅบใ่ฅฒใใจ่ฒฉๅฃฒๅกใซใใณใใใ ใใ
When I was little, the cracker stall lady told me it's because she's stronger than them ๐
ใใฐใกใใใฎๆนใๅผทใใใใฃใฆๅฐใใ้ ใ่ฒฉๅฃฒใฎใใฐใกใใใซๆใใฆใใใฃใ๐
Because the old lady who runs the cracker stall thrashes any deer that comes near with a bamboo broom. Apparently it's discipline for the sake of doing business, but when you see it right in front of you it's shocking enough to make you freeze for a second.
ใใในใๅฑใฎๅบไธปใใขใใใฏ่ฟใฅใใฆๆฅใ้นฟใ็ซนใผใใใงๅพนๅบ็ใซๆฎดๆใใใใใ ใใ ใใใฏๅๅฃฒใใไธใงใฎ่บพใใฃใฆไบใใใใใฉใใใใใ็ฎใฎๅใง็ฎๆใใกใใใจๆใใไธ็ฌๅบใพใฃใกใใใใใ่กๆ็ใชๅ ๆฏใ
When a tourist does it, it's abuse. When the cracker stall lady does it, it's discipline.
่ฆณๅ ๅฎขใใใใจๆดๅใ้นฟ็ ้ค ๅฑใฎใใฐใกใใใใใใจ่บพใ
I used to live near Nara Park, so I'll say it: they do sneak bites from unguarded shelves. It's just that the deer have learned that if they hang around the stall, the people who buy crackers will feed them, so it doesn't turn into chaos. And in the last few years Nara Park's deer have become famous worldwide, so there are so many tourists that they never go hungry, and that's a big part of it too.
ๆใๅฅ่ฏๅ ฌๅใฎ่ฟใใซไฝใใงใใใฎใง่จใใใฉใ็ก้ฒๅใชๆฃใใใคใพใฟ้ฃใใใใฎใฏไธๅฟใใใใใใ ้นฟ้ใฏใใใชไบใๆขใใฆใใชใใฆใใใฎๅฃฒใๅ ดใฎ่ฟใใซใใใฐ่ฒทใฃใไบบ้ใใใใใฎใๅญฆใใงใใใฎใงใซใชในใซใชใใชใใ ใใใใใฆใใๆฐๅนดใฏๅฅ่ฏๅ ฌๅใฎ้นฟใไธ็็ใซ็ฅใใใใใใซใชใฃใฆ่ฆณๅ ๅฎขใๆบขใ็ฉบ่ นใซใชใใชใใชใฃใไบใๅคงใใใ
Looking at them like this they have really pretty faces, but when you're actually surrounded it's seriously scary lol. It felt less like a bow and more like they were staring me down lol
ใใใใฃใฆใฟใใจใใฃใกใ็ถบ้บใช้กใใฆใใใฉใๅฎ้ๅฒใพใใใใใกใใใกใๆใwใ่พๅใฃใฆใใใใฌใณใคใใใใฆใใฟใใใซๆใใใw
This was the late '80s. In the evening I bought deer crackers and tried to give one to a deer, and it slowly turned its face away. I held it up to its mouth again, but it wouldn't eat. I tried another deer and got the same thing. I think they'd been getting crackers from all sorts of people since morning and were stuffed. I remember thinking, I paid for these, what lousy customer service. Makes me nostalgic.
80ๅนดไปฃๅพๅใฎ่ฉฑใ ๅคๆนใ้นฟใใในใใ่ฒทใฃใฆใ้นฟใซใใใใใจใใใใใใฃใใ้กใใใใใใใใ้ฃในใฆใใใใใจใใไธๅบฆๅฃๅ ใซๆใฃใฆใใใใฉใ้ฃในใฆใใใชใใ ๅฅใฎ้นฟใซ่ฉฆใใฆใๅใใ ใใถใๆใใใใใใชไบบใใใใใ็ถใใฆใใ่ นใใณใใณใ ใฃใใใ ใจๆใใ ใใฃใใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใฎใซใใชใใฆใตใผใใน็ฒพ็ฅใฎใชใ้นฟใใกใ ใจๆใฃใใฎใๆใใใใ