Knowing the situation created by the pandemic, traveling is banned, most borders are still closed, so just a little good news would be welcome to light our spirit up. And while we can’t physically travel to our favorite places right now, at least we can enjoy looking at them through pictures.
A Japanese photographer shared stunning footage from Nara Park back in April and it’s now making rounds around the internet. People are absolutely in awe. The video showcases a tranquil scene with Sika deer enjoying the cherry blossoms and even shows one critter munching on a cracker that the photographer brought to the park.
Kazuki Ikeda was organizing a photoshoot that day, capturing beautiful shots for a couple before their wedding. And while the pair were the original focus of the shots, in the eyes of the internet users, the deer became the stars of the day.
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Kazuki Ikeda’s video showing the deer went viral
2020年、桜の季節の奈良公園#おうちで奈良旅 #奈良公園 #コロナで気が滅入るからみんなの動画で旅行しようぜ pic.twitter.com/qu4anqw7fU
— キキフォトワークス (@KikiPhotoWorks) May 11, 2020
The photographer was shooting a pre-wedding photoshoot the day he captured the stunning footage
Credits: Kazuki Ikeda
Sika deer have had a long history of cultural importance in Nara Park, beginning in the eighth century with a legend that a god rode into the park on the back of a white deer. With protection for religious reasons, the population built up and became tame because of its frequent interaction with people visiting the religious shrines at the park. However, the long history of known numbers, and approachable tame deer, have yielded an unusually long and detailed record of population dynamics, ecology, and behavior. It has also led to high populations of deer with consequent impacts on their habitat. [1]
Tourists would usually buy crackers sold at the park meant specifically to feed the deer, making them a very popular attraction to anyone visiting the park. At the beginning of March, as the number of tourists fell and the locals engaged in social distancing, the deer were observed leaving the park and roaming in the streets looking for food. Now, as more and more people go outside, it seems that the deer are back in the park and enjoying their time there.
Credits: Kazuki Ikeda
The photographer shared videos and shots on his social media accounts, encouraging people to visit Nara as soon as the threat of the coronavirus is no longer relevant. He wanted to showcase the beauty of his city and the local park to encourage people to come and enjoy nature.
“The pandemic is exhausting the hearts of people all over the world,” the photographer said, “I hope this video makes people around the world feel at ease”.
Nara Park is a popular destination for Ikeda’s photoshoots and deer like to get involved
Credits: Kazuki Ikeda
Back in March, the Nara deer were observed pouring into the streets in search of food
Credits: okadennis
Credits: okadennis