At around 9 a.m. on April 14, 2024, a deer appeared at the Kyoto Botanical Garden in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. Staff said the two deer were found near the botanical ecology garden in the northern part of the botanical garden.

Families are unable to enter the park due to its temporary closure, and instead stand in front of the gate to see what's going on inside (April 14th, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City)

The botanical garden was temporarily closed from 9:45 a.m. that day, and members of the Kyoto Prefectural Police Shimogamo Police Station and Kyoto City officials are searching for the suspect. As of noon, the deer's whereabouts are still unknown. The botanical garden said, ''We hope to reopen the garden as soon as it is confirmed to be safe.''

Two years ago, four deer appeared at the east gate of Kyoto Botanical Garden. In the back is the Kyoto Prefectural University building (June 2022, provided by readers)

Many citizens and tourists were waiting in front of the main gate for the park to open. A 73-year-old private lodging owner who visited with his wife from Wazuka Town, Kyoto Prefecture, said, ''It's a shame because the weather was so nice and we took the trouble to visit.We want to get into the park as soon as possible.''

A sign announcing the temporary closure of the botanical garden. Some signs were written for foreign tourists (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City)

In 2022, a series of wild deer appeared in botanical gardens, and there was a risk that they might damage the plants cultivated within the gardens, so the gardens had to take measures to prevent deer intrusion. There were no break-ins last year.