Osaka Stray Deer Named ‘Shikayan,’ Eats Deer Cracker from Osaka, Nara Governors

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:48 JST, April 3, 2026

OSAKA – A deer that was captured while wandering around Osaka City was given a name during a ceremony at a campsite, its new home, in Osaka Prefecture on Friday.

The deer was named “Shikayan.” “Shika” means deer, and “yan” is an honorific commonly used in Osaka.

The name was proposed by Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura and later received popular support in a survey.

Shikayan likely came from Nara Park in Nara City, but Nara Prefecture said it would be difficult to take the deer back. As a result, Nose Onsen, a campsite operator in Nose, Osaka Prefecture, took it in.

The deer moved to its new home on March 27.

Nara Gov. Makoto Yamashita also attended the ceremony, where he presented Nose Onsen with deer crackers and a wooden nameplate.

During the ceremony, the two governors fed the crackers to Shikayan,