Cat lovers all over the world know that Japan has a very famous cat island called Tashirojima. In the past, the locals introduced cats in order to cure rodent infestations. Due to the islanders' love for cats and the Japanese culture's favor for cats, the number of cats gradually increased. Today, there are 70 islanders in Tashirojima, but there are hundreds of cats. There are more cats than people, which has become a major feature of the local area. On the way to the island, these cats walked recklessly and were not afraid of pedestrians at all.
It sounds like a paradise for cat lovers. Every year, a large number of cat lovers go to the pilgrimage. In fact, in addition to Tashirojima, there are more than a dozen cat islands in Japan. This article has compiled the 5 most worthwhile Japanese cat islands to visit.
1. Okishima (Shiga Prefecture)
Not all cat islands are in the sea, Okinawa floats on a lake called Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan. There are currently 350 islanders on this cat island, and the main means of transportation on the island is bicycles. In other words, the cats on this island don't have to worry about being hit by a car at all. Tourists who want to enter the island can currently only reach Horiki port by boat.
2. Sanagishima (Kagawa Prefecture)
Sanagishima is a cat island in the Seto Inland Sea where fishing is prevalent and the climate is mild. The island is not big, about seven kilometers around the island. The island is divided into two villages, Nagasaki in the north and Honpo in the south. Visitors can not only enjoy the scenery of the Seto Inland Sea here, but also taste the rich seafood. The cats on the island are very healthy and lively and prefer to be close to people. Walking around the island on foot, you can see the cats of your loved ones everywhere. At this time, tourists need to slow down and quietly enjoy the leisurely and calm atmosphere of the island with the villagers. On the breakwaters on the island, because there are gaps for people to pass between the dams, cats are often shown in the camera in a jumping posture, commonly known as "flying cats".
3. Aoshima (Ehime Prefecture)
Aoshima, with an area of only 0.49 square kilometers, is a small outlying island in the Seto Inland Sea, a 30-minute boat ride from Ehime Prefecture. A long time ago, young people on the island flocked to the city to find work, and the population plummeted. There are only ten or twenty older retired grandparents left on the island. If you land on the island, you can also see many abandoned buildings, such as schools, hospitals and so on. Although there are not many islanders, there are more than 100 island cats, and the current number is 6 times that of the residents. The reporters who once landed on the island to interview were shocked by the sight in front of them as soon as they arrived on the island. There are hordes of cats everywhere on the island...
4. Manabeshima (Okayama City)
Manabeshima is 31 kilometers away from Japan's largest island, Honshu, and its unique location preserves its pristine natural features. This small island is full of history and culture. A village on the island is full of wooden houses, and there are traditional schools. Even the small shop in the village has been operating since the Meiji era. The mild climate, beautiful scenery and long history and culture make this place a popular location for Japanese movies, and it also attracts French cartoonist Florent Chavouet and various novelists. Of course, it also attracts countless cats.
5. Tashirojima (Miyagi Prefecture)
This small island is the most famous cat island in Japan, located to the west of the Haruka Peninsula, with a total area of 3.14km². The highest peak on the island is Mount Zhengdao, which is about 96 meters above sea level. The population of the island is about 70 people, and the economy of the place is dominated by fishing. There is a cat shrine on the island, and cats are valued as auspicious animals that bring good harvests from fishing. Local residents worship cats as gods, and have made many picture books for them, and clearly instructed that dogs are not allowed on the island. It is a veritable "cat island". Tashirojima hosts an annual cat-themed photo contest. After the island was reported by Japanese TV in February 2009, cat slaves from all over the world flocked to the island, boosting the local tourism industry. Nowadays, due to the influence of the cat island boom, the number of tourists has increased, and the cats on the island have gradually become accustomed to strangers, and sometimes approach them cautiously.
