Cat Island in Japan. A place where there are more cats than people.

Tashiro-jima (田代島) is an island that belongs to the city of Ishinomaki (石巻市) in Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県). This is where there was a terrible tsunami along with the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in the spring of 2011. Currently, it is also known as Cat Island or Cat Island (猫島 or 猫の島). The reason lies in the fact that the number of cats here outnumbers the number of people tens of times!

You can get there by sea from Ishinomaki (石巻市).

Of course, there are almost no young people here, one elementary school was closed in 1989, and the average age of residents exceeds 65 years. And there are not many people on the island (about 100 people).

Until relatively recently, the island was “deserted,” but around 2010, crowds of tourists began to flock to the island and now it is not some kind of backwater, but a tourist place. It became popular because of the TV program of the same name “ Cat Island ”, which was greatly appreciated by cat lovers.

History of the Island of Cats

Currently, the main industry of the island is fishing, but in the Edo period 江戸時代 (1603-1868) the main focus was the breeding of silkworms for silk production, and mice are the real enemy of the silkworm, so it was decided to breed cats for protection, and soon cats began to multiply progressively. The result is this “Cat Island” effect.

Afterwards, fishermen began to watch the cats, thinking that they were predicting storms and other bad weather. Cats are also believed to bring good luck.

Why is this island called "Cat Island"?

Since ancient times, silk production has been developed on Tashiro Island. The colonization of the island with cats was aimed at exterminating rats that interfered with silk production. As a result, cats on this island became sacred and even a ban on the import of dogs was introduced. In addition to protecting silk production, cats were believed to bring good luck and money, which made these animals sacred on this island.

Cats were so valued here that a small cat temple was erected between the two villages. According to legend, the temple was built in the place where the first cat was buried, which was accidentally killed by a local fisherman. According to legend, this fisherman accidentally hit a cat with a stone that was used to secure fishing nets. As a result, this cat was buried in the center of the island, and after some time a temple was erected on this site, which anyone can enter. In addition, there are 51 cat sculptures installed in different parts of the island.

Not a single resident of Tashiro has ever taken cats away from their usual wild habitat on the island. This is considered a great sin. To this day, all the cats on the island are free, and people only feed them, and with great pleasure.

The current situation of the Island of Cats

Now the island is flourishing in terms of tourism, especially after the incident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant and the powerful tsunami that hit the island. Everyone thought that the tsunami would wipe out the island along with the cats, but they survived! It is amazing.

Almost the entire city was destroyed by a ten-meter tsunami! Local residents say that before the earthquake and tsunami, the cats smelled something wrong.

Upon arrival on the island, you can see a thank you sign in the shape of a cat as a sign that despite such adversity you came to the island. There are no dogs or other animals here. Only cats. As mentioned above, fishermen believe that cats bring them happiness and feed them.

Aoshima

The second cat island in Japan is similar to Tashiro in many ways. It's called Aoshima, and there are about six times more meowing four-legged animals than people. The island's population is 22 people. Just like on Tashiro, these are mainly people over 50 years old. Most of the inhabitants left the island after World War II.

Cats originally served here as mousecatchers: they protected fishing nets and boats from damage. There were no predators on the island that could contain the natural growth of the animal population, as a result today there are approximately 120 individuals.

Of course, Aoshima has become no less popular an island among cat lovers than Toshiro. Tourists are not bothered by the lack of infrastructure; they come to see purring and rather hungry cats, unlike the four-legged residents of Tashiro. The extremely small population of the island is not able to independently provide food for all the animals, and visitors, apparently, cannot cope: the prefectural authorities decided to sterilize at least some of the animals in order to curb the growth of the population.

Cat Island in Japan (both Tashiro and Aoshima) can be interesting from different points of view. This is an excellent example of virtually uncontrolled population growth in the absence of predators, an example of the influence of the Internet on public interest, and an illustration of the relationship between people and animals. In addition, the cat islands highlight the problem of abandoned cities, and even the philosophical point of the relationship between old and new, which manifests itself in the attitude of island residents to crowds of tourists and impending changes.

Directions

You can only get to the island from Ishinomaki by ferry. Those. if, for example, you are traveling from Tokyo, you need to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Sendai, from there take a local train to Ishinomaki and from there to the “cat island”.

The boat ride takes approximately 40 minutes. The ferry makes 2 stops: Odomari (大泊) and after a few minutes there will be Nitoda (仁斗田). Travelers are strongly advised to get off at the second stop. The reason is very simple - from the second stop you can quickly walk to two more important attractions of the island - “Manga Island” and “Cat Temple”.

A little about the island

In fact, Tashiro Island is part of Ishinomaki City. However, recently this island has become quite popular, which makes people consider Tashiro a separate island with its own settlements.

Today, only 70 people live on the island. Every year the population of Tashiro becomes smaller and smaller, because... young people simply do not return here. The average age of people on Tashiro Island is 71 years old. Another reason for the sharp decline in population was the 2011 tsunami, which killed many residents of Tashiro. After the tsunami, many were forced to leave the island.

Manga Island

On the way to Manga Island, you can see a stunning Cat statue made in 2010 by students at Tokyo University of the Arts.

“Manga Island” is located on a hill, which is why nothing was damaged there by the tsunami. Most of the inhabitants of the island are on this hill and everything remains safe and sound (because this hill is higher than 10 meters and, accordingly, the tsunami did not reach there). Having reached the right place, you can see a signマンガアイランド, which means “ Manga Island ”.

To avoid confusion, let me explain that this “manga island” is located on the hill of the “cat island”. All the houses there are made in the shape of cats. These houses were built in 2000 and some of them can even be rented.

Fortunately, young people work on Manga Island, not pensioners, so you will find people to talk to. Next you can go to the “cat temple”.

Four-legged fishermen

Soon the production of silk fabrics fell into decline. It was replaced by fishing as a source of food and a commodity for trade. Of course, this could not but affect the cats in the most positive way. The purring helpers enjoyed the treats that the residents always brought them.

Unfortunately, over time, Tashiro suffered the same fate as many of our villages: all the youth left the island. The number of residents began to rapidly decrease until it reached the modern figure of approximately 100 people. The vast majority of them are elderly people. This is how the cat island in Japan arose, where there are more cats than people. According to rough estimates, for every two-legged resident of Tashiro there are four to five four-legged ones.

Aoshima: Cats have taken over Japanese Island

Japan is known for its cultural wonders, but also for the unusual aspect of their lives. There is an island in Japan that is becoming more and more popular among tourists all over the world. This is the island of Aoshima, which is distinguished by the fact that it is inhabited by... cats. Cats have literally taken over a Japanese island. Located in the Seto Inland Sea, the island is administratively dependent on the city of Ozu. It can only be reached by ferry. After World War II, the island gradually became deserted, with former residents having to leave to live elsewhere to find work. There are currently twenty pensioners living on the island.

Administration decision

About ten years ago, after a hurricane, a lot of rats and nutria appeared. After which the administration decided to bring cats to a small coastal village. The rats and other creatures were neutralized, but the cats multiplied quickly. The administration did not even think about sterilizing them at that time.

Cat paradise in Japanese. photo: Greenword.ru

Now there are about 120 cats living on the island; they are accustomed to being fed by local residents and tourists. Cats also enjoy catching fish on their own. The cats have taken up residence in abandoned houses on the island and are frequently visited by a veterinarian. To control the cat population and also to check their health. Cats are not wild and do not have fun with tourists, are not aggressive and do not like to be the center of attention from people. Who come to the island... just for them! There are no shops on the island; the only attraction is a small port.

Annoying tourists

The residents who remain on the island are not too fond of visits from tourists; they don’t even like it when “intruders” bother the cats. Moreover, visitors interfere with their privacy. However, they acknowledge that the felines may benefit from visitors. Even if their influx makes access to the port difficult. And this is the only way for residents to get the products they need.

Cats have taken over Aoshima Island. photo: twitter.com

It's not easy for island renters to feed their cats every day, especially in winter. Therefore, an online donation campaign was launched in 2013. To allow animal welfare associations, as well as those who care. Help the island's cats stay warm in winter and fill their stomachs. And also help with the care that cats may need. Just as if castration were mentioned, the finances of the city of Ozu do not allow paying for complete castration of cats. It is too expensive. The association sterilized a dozen cats to curb the influx of felines. But this is not enough, according to the poor residents, to help and feed the cats as best they can.

Aoshima Island is one of the dozens of “cat islands” in Japan. photo: Nypost.com

It's a hard cat's life...

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Traditional cat colonies

There are several places where the number of cats has been exceeding the number of people for quite some time. Japan is the leader in this ranking. In its territorial waters there are most of the islands called “cat islands”.

On the first line you can put the island of Aoshima. The length of the land here is about one and a half kilometers, on which a village was once located and the main occupation of the local residents was catching sardines. In former times, about 900 fishermen lived and worked on this piece of land, but today only 6 people remain, and their average age exceeds 75 years.

The place of people was taken by breeding cats. When animal rights activists first noticed this colony, there were already about 150 animals living in almost wild conditions. A spay and neuter program was immediately developed to stop the population growth. Interestingly, the old people who remained on the island did their best to prevent interference in the cat’s life. They even hid a couple dozen cats to give them the opportunity to reproduce. There is nothing surprising about this. After all, tourists love to visit these places precisely because of the animals. If you deprive the island of its main attraction, then, of course, it will quickly become completely deserted.

The second famous feline enclave is Tashirojima Island, located in Miyagi Prefecture. In the 1950s, about a thousand people lived here. Now there are no more than 80 left, but the island cannot be called endangered. Once upon a time, silkworms were raised in these places and famous fabrics were made. Well, cats protected production from rodents. Since large companies left small artisans out of work, the life of the local population has changed.

Cat Temple on Tashirojima Island

Now popular tourist routes lie here. There is a cat cult on Tashirojima. There is a temple built in honor of these animals, several sanctuaries and many memorial sites. In addition, the island is periodically mentioned in the media, which maintains its tourist popularity.

10 more cat islands

Okishima (Shiga Prefecture)
Sanagishima (Kagawa Prefecture)
Muzukijima (Ehime Prefecture)
Manabeshima (Okayama Prefecture)
Iwaishima (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Aijima (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Aishima (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Genkaishima (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Kadarashima (Saga Prefecture)
Tashiro-jima (Miyagi Prefecture)

There are a lot of cats living on all these islands; on the island of Tashiro-jima there is even a cat temple; it was built to express gratitude to the furries for their work in catching rodents and love for humans.

Now it has become a very popular place for tourists to visit, so it also brings in profit. Although in fact all these cat islands were not created on purpose, they appeared due to a coincidence, but now they delight tourists and cat lovers.

04/30/2019 TanyaVU 154