Shika no tsunokiri is held in a purpose-built ring at Rokuen, the deer sanctuary in the Kasuga Taisha grounds. Teams of seko in happi coats herd the rutting stags with red-flagged bamboo poles, throw a rope-and-cross catch called a jūji over the antlers, wrestle the stag down, and a costumed shrine official saws the antlers off.
Why it's unique
The rite was started in 1671 or 1672 to stop rutting stags injuring people and each other, and it is still done the same way every year in front of a paying crowd.
It is a public antler-cutting of a wild herd of sacred deer, held annually in a dedicated arena. Nowhere else does this, because nowhere else has the herd.
Before you go
It is in November now, not October: since 2025 it has moved, and 2026 dates are Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Every older guide, and much current writing, still says October.
There are five rounds a day, at 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00 and 14:30, and admission is a full turnover: everyone leaves between rounds, so one round is your ticket. Tickets are day-of only. It is standing room only, tripods are banned, and it is not barrier-free. Light rain goes ahead; storms cancel. Rokuen itself closes to ordinary visitors during the antler cutting.
