Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Golden Deer
Category: Deer
The Myth
The Golden Deer is a supernatural deer described in a tale from Kai Province, Japan. Its body shone with a brilliant golden light, illuminating the surrounding valley as brightly as daylight.
The story comes from Urami Kanwa, a collection of observations and experiences from Kai Province compiled by Noda Narikata, who served as a Kofu official from 1724 to 1753.
In Tsukahara Village in Yamanashi County, there lived a fisherman named Takebei. One night toward the end of the rainy season in May, Takebei climbed to the top of Hachioji Mountain and looked in every direction, searching for birds and animals to hunt. That night, however, he encountered nothing.
Then he happened to look down into the valley. To his surprise, the entire valley was filled with a golden light as bright as daytime.
Wondering what could be causing such a strange sight, Takebei looked more closely. Within the golden light he saw a deer quietly walking through the valley, attempting to climb the mountain. Its body appeared golden and was surrounded by the brilliant light.
Takebei rejoiced, believing that the extraordinary animal had been sent to him as a gift from Heaven. He raised his gun and took aim at the Golden Deer.
At that moment, however, someone suddenly seized Takebei by his topknot and pulled him violently to the ground onto his back. His gun went off, but the bullet merely cut through the air.
Takebei was left stunned by what had happened. It was thought that the mysterious force that stopped him from killing the Golden Deer may have been the work of the spirit of the mountain god.
Sources
Takahashi, Toshihiro. “金色の鹿 [こんじき‐しか] (Konjiki-shika).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). April 14, 2019.
https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074336998.html