Hiroshima｜The Deer of Miyajima: Indigenous Swimmers Strictly Prohibited from Feeding

If you've visited Nara, you must remember the adorable deer that beg for food. These deer are considered messengers of the gods and are closely associated with the sacred Kasuga Taisha Shrine. However, in Hiroshima's Miyajima, there's another group of deer that roam freely—from boardwalks to shopping streets, and even along the embankments. Unlike Nara's deer, Miyajima's deer are not divine messengers; they are, in fact, indigenous residents of the island. Currently, around 500 deer live on Miyajima. The local authorities have issued notices urging visitors not to touch or feed them. The concern is that human feeding might cause these wild deer to lose their survival instincts. By discouraging tourists from feeding them, the goal is to help the deer stop relying on humans for food and return to their natural habitat in the mountains. As for how the deer originally arrived on Miyajima, historical records trace their presence back over 800 years. In the anthology "Senjuusho" by the monk Saigyo, deer were mentioned, leading scholars to believe that after Miyajima formed in the Seto Inland Sea, deer swam over from their original habitat in search of food and have since thrived on the island for generations. 📍Address: Miyajima Town, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture