The huge park of Nara in Japan, which covers more than 500 hectares, is inhabited by more than a thousand sika deer, called shika in Japanese.
According to legend, when Nara was created, the god Takemikazuchi entered the city on the back of a white deer to protect it. This is the reason why the deer of Nara are considered sacred animals, even by some as divine messengers guardians of the city.