TOKYO (AFP) - Visitors to one of Japan's most celebrated spots are being warned to be on the lookout, after two Taiwanese tourists were injured in a rampage by a wild deer.

The two women, both 54 years old, took a tumble on Sunday morning after being startled by the creature near the railway station in Nikko, an area known for its historic temples, a police spokesman said on Monday.

The animal charged towards the pair before bolting into a nearby shop where it smashed dozens of bottles and then ran off into nearby woods, the spokesman said.

"The tourist season will be in full swing soon," he said, adding: "We wanted to get the word out and tell people what happened."

Nikko, alongside the capital Tokyo and the ancient city of Kyoto, is one of the most popular destinations for foreign tourists in Japan, a country where violent crime is rare and few visitors ever report falling victim to any kind of attack.