PUBLISHED ONJune 05, 2026 8:48 AMBYEsther LamA woman has come under fire after she was caught on video attempting to sit on an injured deer in Nara Park in Japan.
A video of the incident was posted on X by user @Izumi_Sunagawa on Tuesday (June 2), drawing criticisms of "animal abuse" online.
In the clip, a woman dressed in a white dress and heels is seen attempting to sit on the deer's rear but fails as it trots away.
She then chases it and appears to grab its neck for support while trying to sit on it again, leaning on her left leg.
According to Shinto tradition, deers are considered sacred, and are regarded as divine messengers of the gods.
In an X post on June 1, user @kamepokorin revealed that the deer in the video had been left disabled after suffering a fractured front leg in a traffic accident.
"I was volunteering to care for this deer while it was receiving treatment," the user wrote.
"Such treatment is unacceptable for an animal that is trying so hard to live despite having a bent front leg."
このInstagramに投稿された動画の鹿は交通事故による前脚骨折でハンディを負っています。私はボランティアで治療中にこの鹿の世話をしていました。これは虐待行為です。前足が曲がっても一生懸命生きている動物に対してこの様な行為は許されるものではありません。https://t.co/UlYKwzOBBA pic.twitter.com/rhrLygdxlV
— 奈良の鹿角Tashi (@kamepokorin) May 31, 2026
Many flocked to the comments to condemn the woman's "disgusting" actions, berating her for being disrespectful.
One netizen wrote that the deer had injured its front leg in an accident and accused the woman of "animal abuse against a defenseless deer".
Another wrote: "What this woman is doing to the deer is causing it distress. Please stop."
"Following the deer looked fine but sitting on the deer? Hell no," a netizen wrote.
@asiaone A female tourist, who visited Japan’s Nara Park recently, has sparked outrage after a video emerged showing her forcibly sitting on an injured deer. The woman’s friend, who purportedly laughed as she recorded the video, also received condemnation. Locals say the deer had previously suffered a foot fracture following a traffic accident, adding that deer are considered sacred in Shinto tradition. #news #Japan #Animals #Deer #Tourist ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
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