Kanoshishi - Kanoshishi

...One theory is that this is because of the distinctive aroma of the meat. It was also called kasegi or kanoshishi (meat). As a representative wild animal along with boars and rabbits, the use of deer meat was generally accepted even during the period of popular Buddhism when the consumption of livestock such as horses and cattle was taboo. However, due to the belief that deer are messengers of the gods, some shrines, such as Kasuga Taisha in Nara, which regard deer as sacred, and some shrines and temples that taboo the consumption of meat, forbade the eating of venison as impurity.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Kanoshishi" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…その肉に特有の香りがあるためという説もある。カセギ，カノシシ(香の宍＝肉)とも呼ばれた。猪やウサギとともに野獣の代表として，牛馬など家畜肉の食用が忌まれた民間仏教流布の時代にも，その肉の利用は一般に承認されたが，鹿を神使とする信仰もあって，奈良の春日大社などこれを神聖視する神社や，また肉食を忌む社寺では鹿肉食をケガレとして禁じたところもある。…

※「カノシシ」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報