Deerly Beloved: The Day I Was Ambushed by Polite Deer in Nara, Japan

I traded Osaka’s hustle and bustle for a deer-packed adventure in Nara—and let me tell you, things got wild (literally). So I hopped on a train to Kintetsu Nara Station (just under an hour), and with stars in my eyes and crackers in my future, I marched straight to Nara Park—the Disneyland for deer lovers. Nara Park is Japan’s oldest public park, and it’s home to over 1,300 semi-wild deer. According to legend (and travel blogs), they roam freely, bow respectfully, and kindly accept snacks from tourists. I was ready for a full-on Snow White moment. I bought a pack of deer crackers (150 yen) and braced myself. First deer approaches. He bows. I gasp. I bow back. He bows again. We are now in a full-on deer-human diplomatic exchange. But the moment I pulled out the crackers—BAM. A whole deer gang rolled up on me like I owed them money. One tugged at my bag, another gently headbutted my leg, and a third licked my jacket. It was chaotic, adorable, and slightly terrifying. Would I do it again? Absolutely. After surviving the Great Deer Invasion of Nara, I walked off the adrenaline with a peaceful stroll around Tōdai-ji Temple. Yes, it was huge. Yes, it was beautiful. But let’s be real—I was still emotionally hung up on my new deer acquaintances. Then I made my way to Nakatanidō, the mochi shop famous for their speedy mochi-pounding performance. Of course, I arrived right after the show ended (classic me), but I still grabbed a freshly made mochi—and it was ridiculously good. Like, “soft little chewy cloud of joy” good. Before heading back to Osaka, I dropped by a shop called Coto to grab some souvenirs, mostly to prove to myself that I did more than just get ambushed by deer and inhale mochi. So yeah—Nara? 10/10. Gorgeous park, epic temple, delicious mochi, and deer that could probably run a polite crime syndicate. Highly recommend. #summervacay #narapark #deers #japan #japantrip #mochi #nakatanido