A Japanese wedding photographer named Kazuki Ikeda snapped an amazing photo at Nara Park, showcasing the beautiful Sika deer that were roaming around the park while the gorgeous cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
One of the main attractions that tourists come to Japan to see are the adorable Sika deer that walk around in Nara Park. Established back in 1880, Nara Park is in the city of Nara, which is found at the foot of Mount Wakakusa.
The park is at least 660-acres in size and sees thousands of tourists yearly, and the deer aren’t the only attraction. April is one of the busiest months for the park since this is usually when the 1700 cherry trees bloom spectacularly, showing off their gorgeous blossoms. Tourists and professional photographers alike spend a lot of time vying for the perfect shot, and after seeing the photo above, it’s easy to understand why.
It also happens to be one of the oldest parks in Japan that has also been designated as one of the ‘Places of Scenic Beauty’ by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). MEXT has also declared the over 1200 wild deer as natural treasures that are free to roam the park.
Local folklore tells the story of one of the four gods of Kasuga Shrine, Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, who was said to appear on Mount Wakakusa while riding a white deer. At that time, Sika deer from that area were considered sacred and killing one of them was considered a capital offense that was punishable by death until the year 1637.
But after World War II, the Sika deer were divested of their “sacred” status and given the “national treasure” title instead, which also means that they are protected in that manner. Tourists that come to visit are allowed to buy ‘deer crackers’ that are specifically made to feed the deer, something that the deer are used to all throughout the year as well.
With the world currently dealing with a global pandemic, less and less tourists have been able to visit the park to feed the expectant deer. During the start of March this year, when most of the locals chose to remain home to fight the virus and practice social distancing, the hungry deer ended up leaving the park, roaming the streets in search for food.
Thankfully in April, the Spring weather brought the locals out. As people began to come back to the park, the deer made their way back home to enjoy both the cherry blossoms and the people buying the locally made treats to feed them with.
It was during that time that Ikeda posted his video of the park and the Sika deer in their natural element in the middle of the full-blown cherry blossom, which eventually went viral for very obvious reasons.
Although Ikeda was there to photograph a couple for their pre-nuptial shots, with Sika Park being a very popular spot for all kinds of photos, his video of the deer was the real star on his Instagram feed that day.
Not only did his IG video go viral, it also highlighted the beauty of Nara Park, the over 1200 Sika deer inhabitants that call it home, the ethereal cherry blossoms, and all the loveliness that Japan has to offer. Ikeda also hopes that his social media accounts can help bring attention to the park, its natural splendor, and everything his beautiful country has to offer.
You can see Kazuki Ikeda’s Instagram feed here.
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