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In 1637, if you harmed a deer in Nara, you would be sentenced to death. Today, you’ll pay a $25,000 fine.
Due to a genetic research project in 2023, we know that among the deer inhabiting the Kii Peninsula, those in Nara Park are a unique genetic population. A study proved that while 18 mitochondrial DNA genotypes were detected in deer living on the Kii Peninsula, only one of these genotypes was detected in deer living in Nara Park, which is not found in deer living in any other areas. The genetic differentiation of the Nara Park deer from the Kii Peninsula deer occurred about 1,400 years ago, which is close to the year 768, when the Kasuga Grand Shrine was built. This proves that Japanese people have been protecting the deer in this area for more than 1,000 years as messengers of Takemikazuchi, the main deity of the shrine and that this has allowed the deer in this area to maintain their population from generation to generation. 2 replies
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