Imagine an island where cats outnumber humans and are worshiped liked deities. For some that place might be heaven, for others not. But such a place does exist, Japan’s Tashirojima Island.
Tashirojima is a small Pacific Ocean island of about 11.5 km (7 miles) in circumference located in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan. The sleepy little island, which traditionally focused on fishing and is said to be known for its oysters and abalone, has gained fame in recent years by the Japanese media as the “Cat Island.”
Reports vary, but in general it is said there are less than 100 people, mostly elderly, living on Tashirojima, while there are more than 100 cats. With a “Cat Shrine” near the center of the island, the local felines are worshiped by locals for prosperity and good fishing. According to a 2009 report from Sankei News, cats on the island are so strongly respected that their sworn enemy – dogs – are informally prohibited.
In fact, cats have long been well regarded throughout Japan, exemplified by the “maneki neko” – a good luck charm found in numerous shops in the form of a statue of a cat with one paw raised in the air to beckon in customers. On Tashirojima, one local has made a small business of selling maneki neko good luck kitty bibs, which people can use to dress their own cats.
While Tashirojima does have some other small tourist attractions, undoubtedly most of the visitors these days come to take pictures of and with the cats and the island's feline-themed places.
Tashirojima can be accessed via the “Ajishima Line” ferry from Ishinomaki City, Miyagi. The ferry generally runs several times a day during the week, and costs around 1,200 yen. The nearest train station to the ferry is Ishinomaki; it is reportedly a 7 minute cab ride, 10 minute bus ride, or 30 minutes walk.
The Ajishima Line’s website also lists several minshukus for people potentially looking to stay overnight.
Visitors are asked to avoid feeding the cats for the feline's health.
Read more about Japan by the Japan Travel Examiner
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