How much do Japanese people love cats? Cat cafe, cat island, cat station, there's always a cute one for you!

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🐈 01.Naked-eye 3D “Cat at Shinjuku East Exit

Walking down the busy streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo, a giant cat suddenly appeared in front of us. Standing tall on the Cross Shinjuku Vision screen at the east exit of Shinjuku Station, it looked as if it was about to jump out of the screen at any moment. It was aptly called the “3D Giant Cat”.

Shinjuku Higashiguchi no Cat has an 8-minute wake-up show every morning at 6:52am. Every 15 minutes after that, it reappears, purring, stretching, grooming, and sometimes talking to itself, each time with a different surprise (cat slaves say they could stop and watch all day).

“The appearance of 3D giant cats has made me realize anew how precious and happy those moments in the seemingly mundane everyday life that inadvertently make you laugh are actually.” --Review from a passerby on the streets of Shinjuku.

Shinjuku Higashiguchi no Cat

✧ Address: 3-23-18 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

✧ Playing time: 07:00～1:00 am the next day, ※No sound after 24:00 pm

✧ Transportation: Shinjuku Station East Exit, walk along the left passageway

🐈 02. Supposedly the birthplace of the fortune cookie?

In Tokyo, there are two places where maneki-neko (lucky cats) originated: Hodokuji Temple in Setagaya and Imato Shrine in Asakusa. These two places respect each other's legends and are therefore both recognized as the birthplace of the cat.

● Hodaiji Temple｜Inviting wealth with the left hand, inviting happiness with the right hand

Legend has it that a feudal lord was passing by Hodokuji Temple one day when a white cat owned by the abbot raised its right front paw in front of the temple gate and waved at him. Curious, the lord entered the temple, and moments later there was lightning and thunder, and a storm broke out. The lord decided to rebuild the temple as a token of his gratitude for the cat's help in escaping the thunderstorm, and the white cat was later called the “Cat of Good Fortune” and enshrined in the Hall of Good Fortune.

People take the cats home and return them to the temple's “Nafunsho” when their wishes come true. As the temple becomes more and more prosperous, more and more cats are enshrined, and when thousands of cats wave in unison, it is a truly spectacular sight!

Hodaiji Temple

✧ Address: 2-24-7, 2-chome, Kotoku-ji, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

✧ Hours: 9:00 - 16:30

✧ Access：Approx. a 5-minute walk from Yamashita Station on the Setagaya Line.

● Imato Shrine｜Happiness will come when you meet a white cat!

The legend of Imado Shrine originates from the Edo period, when a poor grandmother living in Asakusa had to give away her beloved kitten. In a dream, the kitten said to her, “If you make a doll in my shape, it will bring good luck.” As a result, the grandmother made Imadoyaki in the shape of a cat and sold it in the Asakusa area, and it quickly became a best-seller.

Imato Shrine has another meaning: to bless marriage and love. There is a pair of stone cats in front of the left side of the shrine's hall. It is said that petting them will bring good fortune, and if you make their picture the wallpaper of your cell phone, it will attract a good match.

The shrine is also home to a real “fortune cat”, the snow-white Namichan. It is said that it brings happiness, but whether you meet it or not depends on your luck.

「なみちゃん」, the mascot of the shrine, is said to bring happiness.

Imato Shrine

✧ Address: 1-5-22 Imato, Taito-ku, Tokyo

✧ Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00

✧ Access: 15-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Asakusa Line; 3-minute walk from Asakusa 7-chome on the Toei Bus Asakusa Minami-Senju direction; 1-minute walk from the Kawahama Sports Center.

🐈 03. a cat saves a station

At Takashi Station in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, there was once a stray cat named Kodama who, with her unique charm and influence, not only saved a station on the verge of abandonment, but also made the town a popular tourist attraction.

Takashi Station is the terminus of the Takashikawa Line of the Wakayama Electric Railway. Due to chronic operating deficits, the railroad company decided to downsize and make Takashi Station an unmanned station. By chance, Kodama, a stray cat, took up residence in the vacant station. She likes to watch the passengers at the exit gate for a whole day, and the people in the neighborhood jokingly call her “the cat stationmaster”. Over time, Jade's dedicated work ethic earns her the appointment of Station Master.

Wakayama Electric Railway｜ “Kodama” has become the first “cat station manager” of a private railroad in Japan, and her main duty is “soliciting passengers” and her “annual salary” is cat food.

After word spread that the cat was the stationmaster, many tourists came to the station and foot traffic exploded. In recognition of the amazing contributions that Kodama has made, Wakayama Electric Railway promoted him to super stationmaster, the entire station was refurbished, and the trains were upgraded to the cat-inspired “Kodama Train”.

The new station is designed in the shape of a cat's head

Today, the station has long since turned around and “Two Jade” and “Four Jade” have taken over the job of station manager. Although the legendary station master Jade has returned to Meow Planet, he will always live on in people's hearts as the honorary station master.

Jade, the legendary station master of Guizhi Station

Current station manager Eryu (left) Acting station manager Siyu (right)

Takishiki Station

✧ Address：Kobe, Takishikawa-cho, Kinogawa-shi, Wakayama-ken

✧ Cat stationmaster attendance time：10:00～16:00

🐈 04. I heard there are cats on that island.

“Cat Island” generally refers to an island where there are more cats than people. There are many such islands in Japan, the more famous ones being Tashirojima and Sagashima, as well as the lesser-known ones being Soryujima and Okijima. The book “As soon as I heard that there were cats on that island, I set off” has a more detailed account of the cat islands in Japan.

● Enoshima｜Tranquil cat island near the center of town

Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Enoshima, located in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is less than a two-hour drive from Tokyo and is a super popular day-trip destination. Not only does it have beautiful nature and rich history and culture, but it is also home to a large number of cute cats, making it a must-visit mecca for cat slaves.

The cats on the island are not afraid of people and can be found everywhere, purring freely.

Enojima

✧ Address: Kanagawa Fujisawa City, Ebe

✧ Railway: Odakyu Enoshima Line Katase Enoshima Station: 5 minutes on foot; Enoshima Electric Railway Enoshima Station: 12-minute walk; Shonan Monorail Shonan Enoshima Station: 15 minutes on foot

✧ Bus: Enoden Bus Fujisawa Station South Exit: 15 minutes; Keikyu Bus Ofuna Station: 27 minutes; Keikyu Bus Kamakura Station: 34 minutes

● Forum｜Flying cats with the beautiful sea as a backdrop

Kagawa Prefecture] Nakadotsu-machi Soryu, Nakadotsu-gun

Soryu Island, a small island with a population of less than 100 people located off Tadotsu City in Kagawa Prefecture, has become a new “meow meadow” for cat slaves overnight after a photo of a cat jumping on a causeway exploded on the Internet!

Both villages on the island are inhabited by many cats. They have even gotten used to professional photographers, exuding an air of calmness!

Soryu Island

✧ Address：Sayanagi, Tadotsu-machi, Nakatado-gun, Kagawa Prefecture

✧ Access：Take the Takamatsu Airport Bus Takamatsu Airport Line from Takamatsu Airport and get off at Takamatsu Station. →Take the JR Iosan Line from Takamatsu Station and get off at Tadotsu Station. →Walk for about 20 minutes to Tadotsu Harbor and take a 50-minute ferry ride and get off at Honoura Harbor.

💡

Cats have a magical healing power, and their presence can bring serenity and harmony to the atmosphere around them. The relaxing effect of cats is unrivaled! If you're feeling tired these days, why not visit one of those cat islands that bring us a sense of comfort? However, since these islands are usually very small, we should respect the local residents and pay attention to behavioral etiquette!