Shika (Japan, Nara)

In Nara , Japan's former imperial capital, sika deer (shika, 鹿) are considered messengers of the god Takemikazuchi , a patron deity of Shintoism. This sacred status was granted to them as early as the 8th century with the founding of the Kasuga-taisha shrine . In 768, legend has it that the kami Takemikazuchi arrived in Nara on the back of a white deer, cementing their place in Japanese spirituality.

Until the Meiji period (late 19th century) , killing a deer in this area was punishable by death . Today, these animals are protected by the state and live in semi-freedom in Nara Park , near the famous Tōdai-ji temple , known for its large bronze Buddha (Daibutsu).

Visitors buy shika senbei (鹿せんべい) , unsalted rice cakes specially made to feed them. In return, the deer have learned to bow their heads in greeting, creating a ritualized interaction unique in the world .

This cohabitation is based on an animist vision of life , where the animal is not a decoration, but a bridge between humans, nature and the sacred . Photographing this deer so closely is therefore not a simple animal portrait: it is the echo of a centuries-old spiritual pact , still active in the heart of contemporary Japan.