How much are deer crackers and where do you buy them?
The tourism association's deer feature gives the price as ¥200 for a pack of 10 crackers, dated 2024 on the page. You buy them from street stalls and souvenir shops inside Nara Park. Since 2022, vending machines at ROKUEN, the deer shelter, and at the rest area in Kasuga Taisha's car park have also sold them after evening hours.
A pack of 10 goes quickly. For a family of four who each want to feed a few, two or three packs (¥400 to ¥600) is usually enough; the deer will still be asking when you run out.
The crackers are made for the deer. The Nara Deer Preservation Foundation, which looks after the animals, describes them as a treat with no spices or sugar, not a staple food, which is why they are the only thing you should hand over.
How to feed the deer without getting bitten
The tourism association's instructions are short:
Watch what else you are holding. Deer will try to eat plastic bags, maps and pamphlets held in people's hands, so put away your map before you start feeding. The Nara Park page also notes there are no rubbish bins in the park; take your wrappers with you, because a discarded bag can end up in a deer's stomach.
Which months need extra care?
The deer are wild animals, and two seasons change how close you should get.
| Season | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| September–November | Rutting season; bucks become very aggressive | Do not approach males with antlers, or with antlers that have been cut |
| May–early July | Births and fawn-rearing; mothers may be nervous | Keep a safe distance, especially with small children or older relatives |
If your Nara day falls between September and November, feed the does and leave the antlered bucks alone.
What not to do
The foundation's page asks visitors not to chase, tease, hit, tie up, touch or ride the deer, and warns that serious cases may be punished under Japan's Cultural Properties Protection Act. Tease-feeding, holding a cracker out and pulling it back for a photo, counts as teasing: the Nara Park page asks visitors not to pretend to offer crackers, and it is exactly the moment the tourism association warns a deer may bite.
If you drive in Nara, the foundation asks for 40 km/h or less inside the park, day and night. It counted 85 deer hit by vehicles and 43 deaths in the 12 months to March 2026.
For the trains, the walk from each station and Todai-ji's opening hours, see our Kyoto to Nara day trip guide. If you are pricing the Kyoto end of the day, the Kyoto bus and subway fares guide covers getting to the station.