Educator in Nara’s most famous deer town fast tracks admission to institute of higher learning.
Ordinarily, there are three major paths to university admission in Japan. The first is taking and passing the school’s entrance exam. Sitting for an interview and winning over the admissions board is another. The third method, being admitted in recognition of outstanding abilities in athletics, the arts, or other respected fields, is less common, but still a possibility.
However, the president of Nara Prefectural University has waived any entrance exam and interview requirements for one newcomer, and it’s debatable as to whether or not any special “skill” was demonstrated either. And yet, pretty much everyone is OK with the decision, because the admission has been granted to a baby deer that was born on campus.
【速報】キャンパスで仔鹿が誕生しました。
— 奈良県立大学公式アカウント (@narapu_pr) June 11, 2026
入試：免除
面接：なし
特技：かわいい
審査結果：合格
学長「入学を許可します」
本学最年少の新入生をあたたかく見守ってください。
“Urgent report: A baby deer has been born on campus” announced the above tweet from the school’s official Twitter account, before running down the newborn’s admission status.
Entrance exam: Exemption granted
Interview: Not required
Special skills: Cute
Evaluation result: Passed
Comment from university president: “Admission granted”
Everyone, please treat our youngest new student kindly.
Nara, as many people already know, is practically synonymous with deer. Nara Park, located in the center of Nara City, is home to herds of deer that freely wander the grounds and are unperturbed about mixing with human visitors, and the animals can often be seen on streets in other parts of the city too. With Nara Prefectural University only about 20 minutes from Nara Park on foot, it’s not unusual to see deer on school grounds, and so rather than run the newborn and its mom off, they’ve been welcomed by the administration and student body. The university has even been posting video updates so even those not attending classes can enjoy the on-campus cuteness. “A hearty breakfast before studying at the university,” says text in the video below, posted by Nara Prefectural University’s president the day after the baby was first spotted.
仔鹿の新入生キャンパスライフ
— 奈良県立大学公式アカウント (@narapu_pr) June 12, 2026
入学して3日目
仔鹿の新入生、まだ講義には出ていません。
でも構内で毎日欠かさず練習していることがあります。
それは「ジャンプ」。
今日も単位より先に跳躍力を伸ばしています！
勉強は明日から頑張るそうです
A video from the next day informs us that “The new student has not yet begun attending classes, but is practicing in the field of jumping every day.”
仔鹿の新入生キャンパスライフ
— 奈良県立大学公式アカウント (@narapu_pr) June 12, 2026
入学して3日目
仔鹿の新入生、まだ講義には出ていません。
でも構内で毎日欠かさず練習していることがあります。
それは「ジャンプ」。
今日も単位より先に跳躍力を伸ばしています！
勉強は明日から頑張るそうです
And as further proof of just how comfortable deer are at Nara Prefectural University, here’s a recent photo of a different deer taken at the entrance to the campus’ library.
大学図書館に入ろうとしていた鹿。少し悩んだが入館をお断りしました。 pic.twitter.com/y5KxSq4Vxb
— 山田研究室 (@narapuni) June 11, 2026
As adorable as the videos are, though, the school has also posted a reminder that deer mothers are very protective of their young at this age, and that they may aggressively butt or bite if they feel they are being threatened. Because of that, students, staff, and visitors are asked to keep a respectful distance from the mother and child, and to resist any urges to give the little one a pat on its head.
Source: Twitter/@narapu_pr (1, 2)
Top image: Pakutaso
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In folklore, twilight is often interpreted as a liminal, even magical time during which spirits emerge in the transition between light and dark. It’s sometimes even seen as a period when extra caution is advised, as will-o’-the-wisps, shapeshifters, and fae may try to influence people in their path. For artist Nicholas Moegly, nightfall sets the scene for neighborhoods and quiet streets in which curious creatures roam, and lights flicker on in houses, signaling the end of the day.
Many of Moegly’s works possess a dreamy realism along the lines of photographer Todd Hido’s Houses at Night or the illustrations of children’s book author Chris Van Allsburg. There is both a timelessness and a sense that these locations could represent virtually anywhere around the U.S. Sometimes, deer and foxes meander through yards or down alleyways, glancing backward as if responding to a sound. In other compositions, lights shine from upper windows of a house or shop on a hazy street corner, although people are nowhere to be seen.
Moegly is currently in the midst of the largest oil painting he’s made thus far, experimenting with the relationship between scale and realism in a way that’s challenging his artistic direction. He’s also working toward future exhibitions, transitioning from online releases to more in-person shows. See more on his Instagram.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Animals Wander through Neighborhood Streets at Twilight in Nicholas Moegly’s Illustrations appeared first on Colossal.
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