Tashirojima: Cat Island

As a cat lover I knew I couldn't not pass up the opportunity to visit an island where the cats outnumber the humans. So with that I hopped on the train to Ishinomaki, where a ferry would take me to Tashirojima.

The ferry 'Sea Cat'

Once inside the ferry I made sure to get myself a window seat and got comfy for the forty minute boat ride.

Inside the ferry

Forty minutes felt like nothing after my previous eleven hour flight only three days prior and the ferry arrived at Tashirojima before I knew it. Stepping off the ferry onto the pier which is set out on the breakwater that protect the boats in the bay.

Cat images decorate the pier

Merely minutes after disembarking and even getting off the pier you are met with cats ready to be showered with attention.

After petting a couple of cats on the pier I was ready to make my way inland, knowing many more cats awaited my affection.

Enjoying life to the fullest

As the tourists started making their way off the pier and onto the island, almost as if they knew it was time, more and more cats started to appear wherever people went.

At first you get the sense that with all tourists vying for the cats' attention that you'd have a hard time getting your own turn with them, but the further I walked through the village the quicker it became apparent that there were plenty of cats to go around for everyone.

A game to see how many cats you can get in one picture

Staredown

When I decided I had had enough time with the cats (which is almost impossible) I decided to let others have their own turn with them and continued onward further inland.

Much of the island is overgrown and the forest encroaches upon the roads

After about thirty minutes of walking inland I reached the centre of the island which is home to a cat shrine.

The story goes that back when the island produced silk and they kept cats to protect the silk worms one of the residents of the island built the shrine to honor a cat that was killed by a falling rock.

Saying a prayer for my cat Slim whom recently passed away

Once I made an offering at the shrine and said a prayer for Slim I continued on the road that went on to loop back to the port.

While waiting for the ferry to arrive I passed time by doing the only logical thing to do, pet more cats.

Once I heard the ferry horn I knew it was time to leave wishing I could bring some cats home with me but I left knowing they'd continue to get all the loving attention they could ever want from all the cat lovers that would continue to visit the island after me.