In these times of uncertainty, we need stories that will lift our spirits and make us forget – even for just a while – the ongoing global crisis. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.
Seeing this spectacle in Nara, Japan, will surely bring a smile to your face because it features a majestic combo – deer and cherry blossom trees, also known in Japan as Sakura flower trees.
Since we’re all quarantined in our homes and running out of activities that will keep us busy, the next best thing to do is to travel virtually. How, you ask?
By looking at photos and videos of beautiful scenery that people share online. And one of the best sources for that is the social media page of this talented photographer from Japan.
In April, Kazuki Ikeda shared a beautiful footage featuring Nara Park in Japan. The video is now making rounds on the internet because of its fairytale-like scenery.
It shows Sika deer, which are free to roam around the area, laying among the blooming cherry blossom trees in the park.
People are absolutely in awe of the view that’s so stunning, it’s hard to believe that it’s all real.
These pretty pink flowers symbolize renewal, as it goes hand in hand with the arrival of spring. As beautiful as they are, they only have a short life span of about 16 to 20 years.
These trees are also in Washington, D.C., but the titleholder of “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World” is neither D.C. nor Japan. Rather, it’s in Macon, Georgia!
The area is home to over 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossoms trees, which is its most famous variety among the hundreds it has.
Ikeda was organizing a pre-nuptial photoshoot for a young couple the day he filmed the ethereal footage. While he took incredible shots of the lovebirds, it was the deer and the cherry blossoms in the background that became the real star of the photos.
Nara Park is a popular tourist spot in Japan known for its abundance of cherry trees. When in the Sakura flower trees are in bloom, the park is showered with pink blossoms.
Aside from these lovely trees, tourists flock to the location to see its Sika deer inhabitants, which are more than a thousand in number.
These animals are considered natural treasures and are beloved and protected by Japanese citizens.
These animals usually get treats from visitors who can buy special “deer crackers” in the park. The deers are used to mingling with large crowds. They even have a sweet way of asking for food; they bow.
According to Japan’s tourist board, the wild-roaming deer in Nara Park are “very playful and friendly”.
“It is possible to walk up to the deer and take a photograph with them or feed them with deer crackers on sale along the side of the road,” they tell guests.
More than two million visit Nara prefecture every year where the park is full of sakura flower trees, according to Japanese media.
It is usually packed with tourists during the sakura season. But due to the ongoing pandemic, the park has been unusually deserted.
In early April, prime minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency in the country.
Ikeda shared the videos he took of the deer basking under the cherry blossom trees on his Twitter to show everyone how beautiful the city is. In his posts, he encouraged people to come and visit once the threat of the coronavirus is over.
Until then, let’s take a virtual tour of Nara Park by watching the video below.
２０２０年、桜の季節の奈良公園#おうちで奈良旅 #奈良公園 #コロナで気が滅入るからみんなの動画で旅行しようぜ pic.twitter.com/qu4anqw7fU
— キキフォトワークス (@KikiPhotoWorks) May 11, 2020