The friendly deer in Nara have moved into the city looking for food

Even before Japan declared a nationwide state of emergency on April 16, the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has kept most tourists away. Flights and bullet trains have been cut back substantially and even within the country, domestic tourism has plummeted, too, leaving hotspots like Kyoto completely empty. Many businesses have been struggling to stay open, but humans aren’t the only ones who are forced to adapt during the crisis.

It seems the deer at Nara are just as reliant on tourists as some local businesses. The famously polite bowing deer that live in Nara Park have become accustomed to eating the special crackers which tourists purchase at the park to feed them. With no tourists coming in, grass is the only source of food around, so groups of deer have left the park and started venturing into the concrete jungle in search of food.