著者

渡辺 伸一

出版者

奈良教育大学

雑誌

奈良教育大学紀要. 人文・社会科学 (ISSN:05472393)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.61, no.1, pp.109-119, 2012-11

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Over 190 animal species are designated as the national monument by the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. The "deer of Nara" have a very peculiar characteristic among them. It is difficult to specify which "sika" deer belong to the deer of Nara because the Cultural Properties Protection Committee (the Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1968) defines them ambiguously. The deer of Nara, Cervus nippon (species name), living from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the South, are found mainly in Nara Park in the city of Nara. The deer of Nara are defined simply as "sika" deer (1) living in and around Nara Park and (2) being tame. Yet, both "around Nara Park" and "being tame" are ambiguous terms, whose specification varies from person to person. This article confirms that the way to specify the deer of Nara has been ambiguous since they were designated as national monument under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (1957). Then, it shows how the ambiguity of the provisions has brought about various confusions and problems among local people and clarified the reasons why their content has become ambiguous. Finally, the author proposes how new provisions should be framed from the position that they must be clearly articulated.