Abroad
Woman in Japan appears to repeatedly sit on Nara deer, authorities call act 'highly inappropriate'
A volunteer said the deer had been injured previously.
June 04, 2026, 08:11 PM
Top images via X
A video showing a woman allegedly sitting on a deer at Nara Park in Japan has gone viral.
A purported volunteer also revealed the animal had been injured in a traffic accident before, according to Oriental Daily.
The footage, which began spreading on Instagram and X from around Jun. 1, shows the woman in a short white dress and stiletto heels allegedly straddling the deer at a fenced area of the park.
Livedoor News reported that a man nearby can be seen filming on his smartphone. A voice in the video can be heard saying, "It can be ridden, it can be ridden."
After the deer escaped, the woman allegedly followed and sat on it the second time, even bouncing on its back. She only left when the deer swung its antlers at her.
A volunteer said the deer had been injured previously.
The volunteer said they were furious and heartbroken to see a tourist treating an injured animal in such a disrespectful way.
Nara authorities: "Highly inappropriate"
The Nara deer are protected under Japan's Cultural Properties Protection Law as a national natural monument.
After a video of someone kicking and hitting a deer went viral, Nara Prefecture strengthened its park regulations, prohibiting "harmful acts" against the deer.
A Nara Prefecture official told J-CAST News on Jun. 3 that the authorities were aware of the circulating video. While it was "difficult to determine" from the video alone whether the act was deemed "harmful," the official said the conduct was "highly inappropriate."
According to Livedoor News, the official said:
"I think people need to be a little more aware that such actions can potentially harm animals."
The official also flagged other risks, including potential injury and the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases such as SFTS (Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome) through direct contact with the deer.
The official added:
"We want people to refrain from direct contact, so we are strengthening our awareness campaigns. Sitting on them, let alone touching them, is simply inappropriate."
Nara authorities said they would continue strengthening public awareness efforts and conducting patrols at the park.
Netizens condemn the act
The footage drew swift condemnation online, with commenters calling it outright animal abuse. Some pointed out that the Nara deer are considered sacred messengers of the gods, making the act not just dangerous but deeply disrespectful.
Others noted that the woman's stiletto heels posed a serious risk of injury to the deer's limbs.
