Nara Park is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan, at the foot of Mount Wakakusa. Established in 1880, it is one of the oldest parks in Japan. According to Shinto tradition, the Sika deer who populate Nara are sacred messengers of the gods. The belief comes from a legend that says the god Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto rode from Ibaraki Prefecture (just north of Tokyo) all the way to the top of Nara’s Mt. Mikasa on the back of a white deer. When visiting Nara Park, you may purchase a special cracker called 'shika senbei' to feed the deers. Some of the deers even learned to perform a bowing trick to earn the yummy treat from the guests!