Deer deer everywhere!!

Today was another adventure in Kyoto but with a twist. We actually packed up for a day trip to Nara to meet the famous deer, and wow nothing could have prepared us.

We started the morning with something miraculous a sleep in. Sure, we still woke up at 6am, but compared to the usual 5am starts, that extra hour felt like a god send. We even made ourselves eggs for breakfast an absolute blessing after days of living off 7-Eleven meals. With full bellies and a little extra energy, we were off to a great start.

Before long, we were out the door and on our way to Kyoto Station to catch our train to Nara. The ride took about an hour, but it was honestly lovely one of those peaceful, scenic trips where the city slowly melts into countryside. Rolling green, small towns, quiet stretches of farmland… it was the calm before the storm. Quite literally.

When we arrived at Nara Station, we followed the signs to Nara Park, strolling through wide streets lined with little shops, cafes, and the occasional deer themed souvenir stall. It all felt very cute and calm and innocent.

And then… the deer appeared.

I don’t think either of us were mentally prepared for what we were about to experience. These deer weren’t timid, gentle woodland creatures. They were everywhere. On the road. On the footpaths. Lingering around signs. Staring into your soul. At one point it honestly felt like there were more deer than humans.

At first, it was adorable. A few deer wandering up for a sniff, posing like they knew they were the main attraction.

And then we made the biggest mistake……

We bought the deer crackers….

One moment we had peace. The next moment we had absolute chaos.

We were chased, properly chased, by about six deer who were fully committed to violating every personal space boundary imaginable. If you look at the videos below, you’ll see that I was terrified shrieking while trying to stop the from following me and biting at my jacket. It’s funny looking back on it now… at the time? Not so much.

I had seen people online get charged by Nara deer, so I was already a bit nervous. But we did have fun trying the bowing tradition when you bow to the deer, they bow back (before immediately demanding crackers, of course).

We spent a couple of hours wandering the park, interacting with what felt like hundreds of deer. It was chaotic, hilarious, slightly terrifying, and definitely one of the craziest things we’ve ever seen.

After escaping the Deer Army, we made our way back toward the main shopping street and popped in and out of a few little stores. By 1pm we were starving, so we ducked into a local cafe for lunch simple, cosy, exactly what we needed after what felt like a workout of trying to escape deer.

By early afternoon, we decided to head back to Kyoto, knowing we had another hour long train ride ahead. The trip home was quiet and peaceful again, almost like the universe apologising for unleashing the deer upon us….

Once back at our accommodation, we had a quick rest before heading out again. I had found a 120 year old knife shop I really wanted to see and it ended up being so wholesome. The shop has been in the same family for nearly 120 years, and the elderly man running it now must be in his 80s. He spoke no English, but he was so warm and kind, trying to communicate with us through gestures and Google translate. The devastating part is that his son was meant to take over the business, but sadly he passed away. With no one left to inherit it, the shop will close in 2027, marking exactly 120 years. It was such a beautiful store with such beautiful history. So heartbreaking to know his stores chapter is coming to a close.

After a bit more wandering, we headed back to make dinner, shower, and crawl into bed tired but so happy. Tomorrow is our final day in Kyoto, and we can’t wait to soak up every last moment.Read more