Deer, one of holy animals in Shinto religion, near Kasuga Shrine, Nara

These deers are living in the park near Kasuga shrine, Nara. Around the park and the shrine are many deers because deers are thought to be one of divine messengers and holy animals in this shrine. By the way, a shrine is a house of Gods of Shinto religion, something of Japanese native religion. The kind of holy animal changes up to shrines. Some shrines honor rabbit, or monkey, or mouse, or fox, cattle and more. If we go to shrines in Japan, we can see some animal's statues there.