Team Out of Town
Visiting Tashirojima, the Popular Cat Island in Japan
Out of all pets, cats are famous for human-animal bonding and are also highly independent. Many people find comfort in their cats. They are sweet, lovable, and clean; caring for them feels good. Have you ever imagined living on an island populated with cats? Have you ever foreseen what you would think if there were cats on every corner of the street? Do you ever wonder if there is an island like that? If you think that there is, that is correct.
About the Tashiro Island
There is a small island named Tashirojima Island, also known as “Cat Island.” It is called “Cat Island” because its population of stray cats is larger than that of humans. In Japan’s late Edo period, most people on the island raised silkworms for their textiles. They raised cats to keep their silkworms safe from mice. However, in 1602, rodents became rampant in Japan, affecting the silkworm industry, prompting a decree to free all pet cats to control them. The release of Tashirojima’s pet cats created the island’s thriving wild population.
In 2015, about 80 people lived there, but there were hundreds more cats than people, at least 150 of which had made one of the villages their permanent home. Every two months, a veterinarian visited the island to examine the cats that lived in the villages.
Cats are regarded as lucky in Japanese culture and are rumored to bring wealth and fortune to anybody who crosses their path. Some even assert that the cats saved most of the island from devastation during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Cat Shrine on Tashiro Island
A small cat shrine, known as Neko-jinja, is in the middle of the island, roughly situated between the two villages. The shrine was built because the fishermen felt sorry for a stray cat that died when a rock fell on it while they were busy collecting rocks they would use for fishing. The fishermen became fond of cats, for the cats always visited the inns where they were staying.
The Miyagi Prefecture is home to at least eleven cat shrines. In addition, there are 51 cat-shaped stone monuments, a very high number compared to other prefectures. These shrines and monuments are mainly found in the island’s southern portion, close to where silkworms were produced.
Where is the Tashirojima Island?
The little island of Tashirojima is situated in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Pacific Ocean north of Aji Island, off the Oshika Peninsula.
How do I get to Tashirojima Island?
Boats to Tashirojima depart from the Ajishima Line Chuo ferry dock along the river, next to the Ishinomaki Genki Market, and across the water from the Ishinomori Manga Museum. A quick cab ride or a 10-15 minute walk from Ishinomaki Station will get you to the pier (around 700 yen one way). Before their voyage across the sea, the ferries make one more stop at a dock one kilometer farther downriver.
Most ferries are bound for Ajishima Island, stopping off at Tashirojima Island, serving Odomari and Nitoda ports. The one-way ferry ride takes 45-60 minutes and costs 1250 yen to either port. There are 3-4 departures per day.
How much does it cost to go to Tashirojima Cat Island?
The Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Sendai takes 90 minutes and costs 10,890 yen one-way (which is why we suggested a JR Pass above!).
You can take a Senseki-Tohoku Rapid Line train to Ishinomaki; the trip takes just over an hour and costs 860 yen * (also included on passes, as it’s a JR line). Highway buses travel from Tokyo to Ishinomaki in around 8 hours and 15 minutes, with fares as low as 5,000 to 10,000 Yen*.
A 45-60 minute boat travels to Tashirojima from Ishinomaki with a one-way fare of 1,250 Yen*. Please note that tickets can only be paid for in cash.
*Prices may change without prior notice
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Read:
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