The coronavirus removed people from the streets and wild animals took over! But in Japan – the deer were ruling even before the pandemic!

When COVID-19 locked down the world, humans retreated to their houses, and the media started reporting on animals taking over. Fish in Venice, fallow deer in London, a puma in Santiago de Chile, jackals in Tel Aviv, coyotes in San Francisco, goats in the Welsh town of Llandudno, wild boars in Barcelona, and even a kangaroo hopping through the downtown Adelaide, Australia. The coronavirus removed people from the streets, and wild animals in search of food migrated into our towns, further than ever before!

However, none of these examples compare to a deer invasion legitimated for centuries in Nara, the site of Japan’s first permanent capital! If you wanted to come up close to these beautiful creatures, Nara Deer Park (or Nara Koen, as the Japanese call it) should definitely enrich your future travel plans!

Nara had more attractions in the past, but one of them disappeared forever! Read more about Nara Dreamland, the amusement park that was trampled by history!

How many deer are there in Nara?

Every July, the researchers from the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation form a line and walk through the park while counting the deer. The most recent data (2019) showed that there were 1388 deer in the park. They call them sika deer, after a Japanese word for deer – Shika.

Why are there so many deer in Nara?

In Shinto religion, deer are considered to be sacred animals. One can trace their holy status in Nara back to the 8^th century!

The legend says that Takemikazuchi, the god of thunder, traveled from Kashima Jingu to Kasuga-taisha in AD 768. This was a staggering 600-kilometer long trip between the two temples! The god appeared on Mount Wakakusa (Mount Mikasa) riding on the back of a white deer! The deer was proclaimed a messenger of gods.

In Nara’s history, deer had several additional magical appearances. For instance, when Kanezane, the head of the Fujiwara clan, came to supervise the rebuilding of the temple, a deer appeared in the main hall. He bowed to it, interpreting it as a sign from the gods.

The killing of these divine creatures was punishable by death until the 17^th century! The offenders would be dragged around the Kofuku-ji temple, and then beheaded or stoned to death. They would also face property confiscation, and their lineage would be cut off.

Shinto religion celebrates many things Western civilization would see as unusual. If you want to check how the Japanese engage in worshipping pilgrimages in the honor of a penis (!), read our article on Kanamara Matsuri festival!

Hunger games in deer heaven

The deer numbers thrived through history, in thousands. Only on two occasions, they almost faced extinction. In 1873, after the Meiji Revolution, there were 38 deer in Nara! Hunger after the Second World War also took its toll! Nara deer became food, which reduced their total number to 79 in 1946.

In 1957, Nara Park deer were designated a National Natural Treasure of Japan.

Today, no one would lose their head if they were to kill a Nara deer, but you could still end up spending 10 months in jail. Facing financial problems in 2010, the restaurant owner Ginjiro Inagaki (40) thought he could elevate his menu with deer meat. He went to the park and shot a deer with a crossbow. Gods were not on his side when he faced charges in court.

Where are the deers in Nara?

Even though you might come across some deer in the streets of Nara (there are even traffic signs warning the drivers), your best guess is to head straight to Nara Koen or Nara Deer Park. Established in 1880, this large city park in central Nara is one of the oldest parks in Japan. It is also home to important temples such as Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga-taisha, as well as Nara National Museum.

What do you feed deer in Nara?

Deer in Nara are perfectly capable of finding their own food! Typically, they eat grass and leaves from the low branches of the trees. This makes Nara’s parks fairly tidy and see-through, at least to the height of 195 cm the animals can reach (the “deer line”).

But with time, the deer acquired a taste for special snacks which made them even more fearless in front of the tourists heading to Nara Deer Park!

Shika Senbei are deer crackers, available for purchase on the stands of local vendors. Their main ingredients are wheat flour and rice bran.

Typically, a package of 10 crackers costs 200 Yen (less than 2 Euros), but with a number of deer eagerly waiting for a treat, your cookies will disappear in a matter of seconds!

Incredibly, even if the cracker-carts park within their reach, the deer will not attack vendors. But once they figure out you bought some Shika Senbei, they will not leave you alone until they empty your hands!

Feeding deer in Nara – a risk for your bum and their stomach

Watch out, the feeding game can become quite aggressive! The deer do not accept “no” for an answer! They are ready to kick, headbutt, bite your bum, or even knock you down until you hand over your goods!

They are very talented cracker detectors, and are capable of inspecting even your bags, purses and strollers! If you do not keep an eye on your belongings, they may devour your city maps, money, or even tickets for the temple. There is a reason behind the ticket booth display saying: “Please be careful that the deers don’t eat your ticket. It cannot be reissued and replaced.”

Walking around with a piece of toast or ice-cream will equally draw the animals’ attention, and they will reach for your food until you give up. I’ve witnessed people feeding them with potatoes as well. But the only food you should feed deer is the official cracker, for their safety!

If you park your bicycle in front of the temple, beware of what you leave behind. As I’ve seen with my own eyes, Kleenex paper tissues and even plastic bags will disappear as soon as you say “holy cracker”! And some of these items can be quite dangerous for the deer’s digestive system!

After they fill their stomachs, they will rest in the grass and leave their feeding spot to others of their kind. Some will even floss after their meal. Or at least that’s how I interpreted deer practice of chewing on a chain fence!

Why do deers in Nara bow?

The deer in Nara could be a one-trick pony! To get the food, this always hungry creature will bow in front of you!

From the Fujiwara clan nobles bowing in the 9^th century to the training given by the modern tourists, deer started to connect bowing with food delivery

Now, the phenomenon of the bowing deer has a somewhat biological explanation. Bobbing their head down as if starting to feed, and then quickly jerking it back up, could be a strategy for revealing the hidden predator waiting to attack when the deer is most vulnerable.

On the other side, some explain that deer bowing is a behavior learned through the 13 centuries of reverence! From the Fujiwara clan nobles bowing in the 9^th century to the training given by the modern tourists, deer started to connect bowing with food delivery.

Nara deer bow is definitely an intriguing behavior. Try this ritual when you visit Nara Deer Park! Bow your head first, and the deer might respond equally. But you better have a cracker ready afterward!

Nara Park tips

Every year, dozens of people get hurt in Nara Deer Park. Of course, most of these are minor injuries, but some people did break their bones and needed stitches! To make your Nara Park visit as safe and as fun as possible, please follow these 12 golden Nara deer rules!

12 rules for exploring Nara Deer Park

1. Wear comfortable shoes! You will walk a lot! Nara Deer Park lays on 660 hectares!
2. Even if you have the most comfortable shoes in the world, do not run! Deer will chase you if they suspect you’re hiding food from them!
3. Make sure all your belongings are in a safe place. Deer snouts will try to get into your bags and strollers, and you don’t want them swallowing anything of importance!
4. Do not tease the deer! They have a low tolerance to jerk provocateurs!
5. Feed deer only with official deer crackers! No human food is acceptable!
6. Be careful if you hand crackers over to small children who could get frightened by their voracity! Parents should hold their children by hand when visiting the areas with deer!
7. Do not make a long feeding spectacle! If they see you withholding or lingering with crackers, deer may attack you!
8. Don’t ask for deer bowing if you have no food for a reward! Confused deer can become aggressive!
9. When you have no food anymore, raise both of your hands to show they are empty. Wave “bye-bye” and the deer will usually look for the next feeder.
10. Have eyes on your back! While most deer will understand you have no more food, some of them could continue being pushy and strike from behind!
11. Do not try to grab the deer in order to take selfies!
12. Be ready to carry your trash with you! For the reason of deer protection (unsuitable food could make them sick, and plastic waste could even kill them), there are no garbage cans in Nara Park!

What is there to do in Nara Deer Park?

Besides feeding the freely roaming deer, there are more ways to spend quality time in Nara Park. You should consider visiting its temples and art collections!

Todai-ji temple

The Great Eastern Temple (Todai-ji) is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, with a national significance in Japan! It was erected in the 8^th century, and today it’s inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Enter through the Nandaimon Gate, where 8-meter tall figures, Nio Guardian Kings, fiercely monitor who enters the site! The octagonal bronze lantern in front of the main hall is one of the temple’s oldest treasures. But the true attraction sits inside of the Daibutsu-den! Admire the world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha, reaching 15 meters in height and about 400 tons in weight! The Great Buddha was carved in the 12^th century, by the famous sculptors Unkei and Kaikei. To fully appreciate the size of the statue, check if you can squeeze through the hole in the base of the pillar in the back of the temple! It is the same size as Buddha’s nostril, and they say that those who can pass through it, will achieve enlightenment in their next life!

Kasuga-taisha shrine

In the southern part of Nara Deer Park, also dating back to the 8^th century, Kasuga-taisha is another registered World Heritage site. One approaches it through the scenic forest path, with deer occasionally protruding their heads in between the hundreds of stone lanterns. There are over 3.000 stone and bronze lanterns on the shrine grounds and they all get candle-lit twice a year: on February 3^rd for Setsubun Mantoro (celebrating the transition from winter to spring), and on August 14^th-15^th for Chugen Mantoro (honoring the dead). In May, when the wisteria flowers bloom, this temple with white walls and vermilion columns receives a lot of visitors too. Behind the shrine, there is a sacred Kasugayama Primeval Forest, untouched for more than a millennium!

Kofuku-ji temple

The temple of Kofuku-ji was founded in 669 in Yamashina and moved to Nara at the beginning of the 8^th century. However, most of the buildings on this World Heritage Site were constructed between the 12^th and 18^th century. The most impressive is the five-story pagoda, the second tallest in Japan, reaching 50 meters in height! If you love Buddha sculptures, Kokuhokan (Kofuku-ji National Treasure Museum) has a valuable collection!

Nara National Museum

Nara National Museum (Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is an art museum displaying Japanese Buddhist art since 1889.

Is Nara Deer Park free?

Yes, the admission to Nara Deer Park is free. However, the admission fee to The Great Buddha Hall and Todai-ji Museum is 1000 Yen (8,5 Euros). Wandering around Kofuku-ji grounds is complimentary, but entering special halls will cost you between 300 and 700 Yen. The entrance to the inner area of the Kasuga-taisha shrine costs 500 Yen. The admission to Nara National Museum is 700 Yen.

Nara Deer Park opening hours

Nara Park is open 24/7.

The temples start to open between 6 and 9 am and close between 5 and 6 pm.

How to visit Nara Park?

Nara Deer Park is closest to Kintetsu Nara Station; the first area of the park is only a five-minute walk away. If you come from JR Nara Station, prepare to walk for 25 minutes.

Nara is at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, just south of Kyoto. The cities are well-connected by train, and the ride takes about an hour.

How long should you stay in Nara and where?

Nara is perfect for a day trip and you can visit major Nara Park attractions without spending the night there.

In case you want a break from bigger cities, and spend more time in the deer town, find the best available prices for Nara accommodation on this link.

With Kyoto offering a lot, you might consider staying there, as I did, in which case look for your Kyoto accommodation here.

Another option is visiting Nara from Osaka. For the best accommodation in Osaka, check this link.

When to visit Nara Park?

As for seeing deer, they are hanging around Nara Deer Park all year long, even in winter! Some interesting dates for visiting Nara, besides the already mentioned lantern festivals, could be springtime (during the cherry blossom, Todai-ji has fantastic sakura spots), August 7^th (during Todai-ji Ominugui, more than a hundred priests become alpinists and descend from the roof of the temple on the Great Buddha in order to dust the statue), October (besides the magical autumn atmosphere, this month also brings the traditional ritual of cutting the deer’s antlers, to protect other deer, people, and trees).

For additional information, please visit the Nara Park website.

Nara Deer Park – conclusion

If your Japan trip brings you to the Kansai region in the south of Honshu, explore further than Kyoto or Osaka! Nara is a charming town deserving your attention, and visiting Nara Park will create lasting memories!

Deer are the symbol of the city of Nara and the national treasure of Japan! You will see their image applied as soon as you exit the train station in Japan’s original permanent capital! From manholes to vending machines, from souvenir toys to chocolate snacks shaped like deer droppings, the love for sika deer is omnipresent in Nara!

Designated as a place of scenic beauty, Nara Park is home to historical sites and temples and beautiful gardens. But large families of fawns, does, bucks and stags are its main inhabitants. Always hungry and overconfident in interaction with people, the deer approach visitors with large vitreous eyes and enormous eyelashes. Their beauty can easily trick you into believing they have manners, and their consistent poking for food surprises many visitors! Some people even fall into hysterical reactions and tantrums, propelling themselves into the stardom of funny Instagram images and Youtube videos. Google “Nara Park deer attack”, if you don’t believe me!

Just follow the rules and you will be fine! Deer are wild animals, but they behave strangely only when we confuse them with inexplicable reactions!

You have no alibi to ignore the safety warnings! They are everywhere around you! The one I liked the most was displayed on the Kofuku-ji temple. It said: “Please do not feed the pigeons!”

I hope this guide helped you plan your Nara Park itinerary. If you liked it, pin it for later!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway might make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post Nara Deer Park: The Religion of Bambi Love appeared first on Pipeaway.

In January, I typically analyze the data of Pipeaway’s recommendations you’ve been following in the previous year. Basing its choices on the bestselling bookings of 2019, this article suggests ten countries you should discover in 2020! Follow the steps of Pipeaway’s readers and find the best place to sleep at in Asia, Northern and Southern Europe!

For more travel inspiration, check the bestselling bookings of 2017 and 2018!

Top accommodation choices in 2019

1. Indonesia

While Bali is definitely affected by the coronavirus outbreak in China and declining numbers of tourists from the world’s most populous country, it is still the star of Indonesia’s tourism. The turbulence in the market should lower the prices. Places such as Indonesia, Thailand, or Cambodia, could become even more affordable, once the epidemic concerns calm down.

These are the accommodation recommendations on the island of gods!

Kashantee Village – One of the bestsellers in Seminyak, this three-star property comes with a swimming pool.
Booking.com guests review – 9,0/10

Munduk Moding Plantation – This 4-star nature resort is set on a coffee plantation in Munduk and is known for its extraordinary Instagram-worthy swimming pool.
Booking.com guests review – 9,6/10

The Balé – Set in Nusa Dua, five-star private pool villas are an ideal choice for couples’ holidays or even honeymoons.
Booking.com guests review – 9,3/10

For more accommodation options in Seminyak and Canggu, check out these luxury escapes. If you are heading to Ubud, Sanur, or Banyuwedang, these are the resorts that will recharge your batteries.

2. Japan

Japan has always been at the top of my travel lists. A country with a great balance of tradition and modernity, amazing food, extraordinary festivals, polite people, and an extremely high feeling of safety, is the one I’d move to. Just waiting for someone to propose, lol!

While I didn’t have a chance to visit Japan in 2019, I’m happy some of you did!

OYO Hotel MUSUBI KYOTO Higashiyama Gojo – This hotel is set in central Kyoto, a city of numerous temples, gardens, and palaces.
Booking.com guests review – 8,9/10

If you want to explore Tokyo, check out these artsy places in Japan’s capital!

3. Malta

I discovered Malta only in December and, even in winter, the country had a lot to offer! If you love architecture and raw coastline nature, historical treasures, and movie sites, this Mediterranean island should get on your bucket list!

Meditropical B&B – This small bed and breakfast in Sliema is a solid base. One can cook in the well-equipped kitchen!
Booking.com guests review – 9,2/10

Maritim Antonine Hotel & Spa – This hotel in Mellieha might not be the best 4-star hotel on the island, but comes with a tempting price.
Booking.com guests review – 8,5/10

1926 Hotel & Spa – The recommended hotel from my article on things to do in Malta is an eco-responsible enterprise. While it has space to grow and develop, if you want to support environment-friendly operations, this is the one to book!
Booking.com guests review – 8,5/10

4. Italy

While I’ve written only about Rome, there are places in northern Italy that are solid destinations but are also close to the airports serving low-cost flights. In 2019, Pipeaway readers were booking places in Treviso and Trieste, check them out!

5. Philippines

Due to its location, volcanic activity might affect travel to the Philippines, but once you’re there, the country’s beauty will certainly enchant you. Palawan is at the top of the list of places you should visit!

According to Pipeaway’s readers, Coron and Puerto Princesa are favorite bases from which you can explore the islands. If you wonder what that could look like, check my article about the boat trip to Coron Island!

6. Thailand

The Thai Baht is one of those Asian currencies that experienced a fall after the coronavirus outbreak in China. Every third tourist in Thailand was Chinese, and now that they stay at home, the market is thirsty for any visitor it can get.

According to Pipeaway readers’ bookings, the northern towns of Udon Thani, Phitsanulok, and Chiang Mai are especially attractive destinations! This is my list of things to do in Chiang Mai.

If you prefer visiting Thai islands such as Koh Samet, consider Mooban Talay Resort! Check their prices on Booking.com.
Booking.com guest review – 8,6/10

7. Laos

Laos is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, yet extremely rich in its natural and cultural heritage! Luang Prabang and Vientiane have been at the top of your choices in 2019!

The country’s best 5-star property is Crowne Plaza Vientiane! Check their prices for your dates on Booking.com.
Booking.com guest review – 9,3/10

8. Norway

Norway is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited. Many Pipeaway readers agree. Its incredible fjords, mountains, waterfalls, and lakes provide great opportunities for hiking.

I can especially recommend Aurlandsfjord and Lysefjord, with various attractive content that will fill out the whole length of your stay.

For those of you who prefer a mini-universe spared from big crowds, but with amazing hiking paths and even the longest staircase in the world, choose Flørli! For the best accommodation price, book your Flørli stay through this link!
Booking.com guest review – 9,0/10

9. Cambodia

Cambodia is a country I like to go back to. Whether you are into unusual traditions such as Songkran, the alternative insect meals, the ancient Angkor temples of the Khmer Empire, or even if you just want to travel safely as an LGBT visitor, Cambodia will be welcoming!

Treeline Urban Resort (the featured image of the article), which I wrote about in the article on plastic pollution fight pioneers, was my favorite hotel of 2019!
Booking.com guest review – 9,7/10

If you want to stay in the 2017 top hotel, check out Jaya House RiverPark!
Booking.com guest review – 9,9/10

Gay travelers should definitely check Rambutan in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap! Use the codes mentioned in the article and get your room with a 15 % discount!
Booking.com guest review – 9,4/10

10. Malaysia

The last country on this recommended list for 2020 is Malaysia. Due to its famous events such as Chap Goh Mei (Chinese Valentine’s) and Thaipusam (Hindu festival in Batu Caves), Kuala Lumpur and Penang Island were on the top of your booking requests!

My friends lived in the capital, and Malaysian stamps were often on my passport in recent years. They did move out, but I will definitely be coming back. There is a lot to discover!

I’d love to hear back from you if you stayed in any of the properties mentioned above! How did you like them? Please comment below!

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway might make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The post Bestselling Bookings of 2019: 10 Countries to Discover in 2020 appeared first on Pipeaway.

His Majesty, the Willy. Imagine men and women, and even people in between genders, of all races and ages, which includes kids and grannies too, but also some dogs, surrendering to the group pleasure of worshipping the penis! The ritual involves engaging your mouth in an enjoyable session of sucking, in a very liberal surrounding – the color and size of your sweet lollipop do not matter! It is not the most perverted orgy party you have ever attended, but the religious event called Kanamara Matsuri, organized by the local Shinto shrine in Kawasaki, Japan!

The demon in the possessed vagina was biting off the manhood of woman’s partners

Vagina dentata attacks

It all started with a legend. There was this young woman who rejected to sleep with a demon, so he inhabited her vagina (don’t ask how he got there in the first place!). Jealous as he was, he used his sharp teeth to bite off the penises of two men that tried to sleep with her. Cursed with a castrating toothed vagina (vagina dentata), the desperate woman went to visit a blacksmith (who else?), to ask for help. The expert decided that what she needed was an iron dildo that would trick her inner demon and break his teeth when he tried to bite! The blacksmith made the object and the woman’s vagina was liberated again! The iron phallus got enshrined in the Kanayama Shrine, where pilgrims still come to touch it, not only during the festival.

The Festival of the Iron Phallus started in 1977, but the shrine was a popular sanctuary for local prostitutes even in the 17^th century, during the Edo period; this was the non-judgemental place where the sex workers went to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Today, the shrine dedicated to the kind and helpful blacksmith, attracts those in need of divine protection, for fertility, easy child delivery, marriage harmony, and business prosperity.

If you love jaw-dropping stories, check out my biggest WTF travel moments!

Kanamara Matsuri – pricks welcomed

Many get attracted by penises too; nobody can dispute that. Various phallic sculptures scattered in the courtyard might be an unusual religious decor in Westerners’ eyes. Japanese prove they are not reserved people after all! Wooden plaques called ema, used by Shinto worshippers for writing their prayers, here are decorated with explicit scenes of oral sex, and some cocks as well. It is the year of the rooster after all! Worshippers leave them hanging in the shrine so that the kami deities can receive them.

While I take photographs of the prayer plaques, one woman jumps on the penis-equipped anvil and poses for her social profiles. The selfie culture changes the way we behave even at supposedly sacred places; pretending to lick the giant phallus, she bursts into laughter. Lollipops shaped like penises, more or less anatomically accurate, produce a similar giggling reaction in attendees. The joy of people-watching starts when they forget what they are munching on and just surrender to the sweetness of the little prick.

Heteros and homos, men and women, kids and their grandparents, they all indulge in this suckling game. All prejudices are put aside. Almost. Those machos who cannot swallow the fact of swallowing the joystick, even if it comes in green color and tastes sweet, can buy themselves a vagina lollipop, without jeopardizing their masculinity image.

The priestesses will perform the ritual of transferring the spirits into the penis-shaped mikoshis and then let them go to the town

Penis Parade

Kanamara Matsuri happens every spring. The first Sunday in April is the day when the giant altars with erect idols leave Kanayama. Shinto followers take their portable shrines (called mikoshi) for a parade. They believe that the mikoshi drives the deity from the primary to the temporary shrine, and on this particular festival, mikoshi happens to come in the phallic form. After the fire-lighting ceremony, the priestesses perform the ritual of transferring the spirits into the mikoshi.

There are actually three mikoshis in the parade! The first one to hit the streets is the one made of steel, representing the one that the woman used to get rid of the demon. This penis is carried around in the little wooden ship. The next float brings the giant pink penis mikoshi (called Elizabeth, after the drag queen club that donated it). It is carried around by transgender and cross-dressing festivalgoers. The last todger carried around is the one carved out of a tree.

The groups of worshippers dressed in short kimonos revealing their bare legs, take the mobile shrines around the neighborhood, chanting, singing, shouting, and waving them wildly from side to side, so the deity doesn’t get bored. It’s the yearly fair ride for these penises! Everybody has fun at this street party! One can almost understand why Aristotle claimed that comedy as a form evolved from such phallic processions. Known since ancient Greece times, penis parades demonstrate a high dose of humor indeed!

Exorcism for vagina and prejudices

The festival nowadays has become a big market for penis-themed food and memorabilia. There are candies and candles, sausages and bananas, T-shirts and jewelry, masks and sculptures. One can even buy a daikon radish carved into the appropriate shape! Behind the amusing facade, the event raises awareness about sexually transmitted diseases. Awareness AND money for HIV research too! What started as a story of the possessed vagina is becoming a celebration of solidarity, mutual respect, breaking taboos and ridiculous social restrictions to educate each other, with a smile on the face.

For more impressions from Kanamara Matsuri 2017 check the video below! For other videos mapping the extraordinary people, places and passions, visit and follow Pipeaway’s Youtube channel!

Kanamara Matsuri dates in upcoming years

Kanamara Matsuri in Kawasaki is observed every year, on the first Sunday in April.

• 2024 – April 7th
• 2025 – April 6th

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