Nara Park

The park is one of the "Places of Scenic Beauty" designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Over 1,200 wild sika deer (シカ or 鹿 shika) freely roaming around in the park are also under designation of MEXT, classified as natural treasure.

Within this 660-hectare area, there are World Heritage Sites, as well as a variety of National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, and Natural Monuments (ja:天然記念物, Tennen Kinenbutsu) designated by the Japanese government.

Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest are registered as World Heritage Sites under the title Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

There are 47 buildings designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties on the grounds of Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Grand Shrine, Shōsōin, Shin-Yakushi-ji, Gangō-ji, and others.

The Kasugayama Primeval Forest is designated as a Special Natural Monument (Tokubetsu Tennen Kinenbutsu), while the deer, the habitat of the Panchala ganesa butterfly, the Nageia nagi tree forest of Kasuga Grand Shrine, and the Prunus verecunda 'Antiqua' tree of Chisokuin are designated as Natural Monuments.

[2] According to local folklore, sika deer from this area were considered sacred due to a visit from Takemikazuchi, one of the four gods of Kasuga Grand Shrine.

[4] After World War II, the deer were officially stripped of their sacred/divine status,[4] and were instead designated as natural monument (天然記念物 Tennen kinenbutsu) and are protected as such.

[7][8] The number of deer grew in the postwar period to around 1,200 in 2008, leading to concerns about environmental and crop damage and discussion of culling.

[15] In April 2018 Nara city set up new signs in English, Chinese and Japanese informing tourists that the deer are wild animals and to not tease them during feeding.