Where cats outnumber humans - Cat Island Tashirojima

Here's a cute story for you cat lovers (愛猫家), and especially to my friend Jenny! Tashirojima, or Cat Island, has only 100 permanent residents but almost 1,000 cats. The island is near Miyagi prefecture, where the tsunami hit in 2011. Luckily all people and most cats on Tashirojima survived. Cats are a beloved part of Japanese culture. You may have noticed this at Japanese restaurants and seeing a white bob cat statue with 1 arm raised greeting you. They represent good luck and fortune.

According to International Science Times, the island was popular with fisherman during the 1800s, and there is one tale that says a fisherman collecting rocks accidently killed a cat when a rock fell on it. So he buried it and created shrine. Since then there's been cat devoted architecture erected throughout the island. They are super kitsch, and I like!

Japan-guide.com states the only way to get to the island is by ferry, which departs 3 times a day from Ajishima Line terminal near Ishinomaki. The tickets can be purchased on the boat for about 1200 yen and takes 45-60 minutes.

(From Youtube)

(From amusingplanet.com)

(From Flickr: Hirano_sui)