Overview
- About 500 spectators watched the opening on November 8 at Nara Park’s Rokuen antler-cutting arena in Nara City.
- After a taiko cue, roughly 20 seko in happi coats used red flags to drive the deer and ropes to restrain them.
- A priestly cutter sawed off antlers as the crowd applauded, with attendees describing the close-up action as powerful.
- The tradition dates to 1672 and is carried out to prevent people and other deer from being injured during the breeding season.
- The public program runs November 8–9 with four 30‑minute sessions from 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., tickets priced at ¥1,000 for middle school age and older and ¥500 for children, proceeding in light rain but canceled for severe weather, and it shifted to November this year following a rise in antler-related injuries in 2024.