Mysterious, Every Year a Herd of Deer Gathers at Nara National Museum

JAPAN – The phenomenon of hundreds Russian gather in Nara Park, Japan, every year at the same place and time period until now it is still a mystery . The deer just gathered and sat around enjoying the grass until it was time to leave.

This unique event in Japan is called the Shikadamari Phenomenon or deer pond. Since 2019, SoraNews has reported this event and tried to investigate the strange deer behavior patterns in Nara Park, but has not found the answer.

The deer periodically gather during the summer from mid-July to early August, gathering in large numbers to sit on the grass outside the Nara National Museum. The timing of this gathering is so precise, both in terms of the time of year and the time of day when it occurs, that logic dictates there must be some sort of reason for it. But even the experts at the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation who care for the animals have not been able to explain why it happens.

SoraNews noted that the deer herd peaked at around 6:30 p.m. and lasted until 7 p.m. This year, hundreds of deer are expected to gather in different groups. Some of the animals are standing and the rest are sitting relaxed in the museum yard and the area behind the museum, near Kintetsu Nara Station. The deer look relaxed and happy to bask in the evening light.

When the clock struck 7 p.m. the animals periodically got up and left, apparently to meet up with another group, where they all walked away together.

This year in particular it seemed that the deer had dispersed much earlier than usual, with their numbers gradually fading from 6:30pm, so that by 7pm there were only a handful left of the gathering.

In previous years, there has been a suspected correlation between deer behavior and weather patterns or visitor numbers, but this year has been a relatively average year in terms of weather and visitors. There were also fewer deer this year, and their lounging time was also relatively short, only kneeling for a few minutes instead of the usual hour or so.

As a result, the motive for these deer to gather in the summer at the Nara National Museum and their behavioral patterns remain an unsolved mystery. Whether it is due to the scenery, the coolness of the grass here compared to other areas of the park or something else, all remain a mystery.

(msf)