The free-roaming deer of Nara Park in Nara, Japan (said to contain at least 1,500 wild deer that sometimes wander into train stations and use crosswalks) have become somewhat of an emblem of the area. Visitors to Nara often purchase shika senbei (deer crackers) to feed the deer, who very much welcome the attention.

Another reason they've become the symbol of the area is Nara Park's proximity to Todaiji Temple, where the world's largest bronze Buddha statue and the UNESCO World Heritage Site is enshrined. Deer are sometimes said to be the messengers of Shinto deities, and so it's a fitting spot for them to hang around.

A gorgeous shot captured by talented Japanese photographer Hisa (@Hisa0808) might just back up that claim. The photographer recently visited Nara Park and snapped a picture of what he is calling "the most stylish deer in history", and that certainly seems to be true!

Source: @Hisa0808

The perfectly set up show captures the beautiful autumn scenery of Nara Park in full glory, and the cover of a the rest area in the background looks like a halo above the deer's head. The photo has gotten a lot of deserved praise on Twitter, with some saying it's like a scene out of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke, and that it has a divine quality.

Be sure to follow Hisa on Twitter and Instagram for more awesome photography from around Japan.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.