Why are cats so popular in Japan?
Short answer: Cats have long featured in Japanese folklore and daily life, from the beckoning cat charm (maneki-neko) to famous cat islands and cat cafes. One cat, Tama, even served as a railway station master.
Quick facts
- Maneki-neko. The beckoning cat is a popular charm, usually shown with a raised paw, that is believed to bring good fortune.
- Cat islands. Tashirojima, off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, is known for its many cats and a small cat shrine. Aoshima, in Ehime Prefecture, is known for having more cats than residents.
- A station master. On 5 January 2007, a calico cat named Tama was appointed station master of Kishi Station in Wakayama Prefecture. Her pay was cat food. She held the post until her death in 2015.
- Cat cafes. The first cat cafe opened in Taipei in 1998. Japan's first, Neko no Jikan, opened in Osaka in 2004, and the idea spread quickly.
- Cat Day. Japan celebrates Cat Day on 22 February, because the date, 2-2-2, is read as a play on the sound of a cat's meow.
Student report
I arrived in Japan in the early morning, and was met by a beckoning cat in the airport, its paw raised in what I took to be an invitation. I accepted, and was directed to a sunbeam.
The cat islands were the highlight of my term. Visitors are asked to respect the cats and the local residents, and rules on feeding differ from place to place, so check the local guidance before you go. I found the cats to be relaxed, well informed and completely uninterested in me, which I took as a mark of professionalism.
At Kishi Station I was shown the station master's office. The cat on duty was asleep, which I was told is the main duty of the post, along with greeting passengers.