Located in southwestern Japan, the island of Aoshima is a fishing village inhabited by hundreds of cats. The island was home to so many cats that it became known as “Cat Island”. However, this is not the only cat island in Japan. There are more than 10 cat islands in the country.
Cat islands are found not only in Japan, but also in the United States. 18 cat islands have become the favorite of cat lovers. It is also known that there are cat islands in Australia. Although the dream of an island full of cats is quite tempting, life becomes difficult when the number of cats exceeds the number of people.
Transformation of Aoshima into Cat Island
Aoshima is an island located in the south of Japan, in the Ehime region. Originally a quiet and quiet fishing town, Aoshima gradually came under the rule of cats. This is because fishermen bring stray animals to the islands to reduce rodent populations, and locals tend to keep cats. The belief that cats bring good luck and fortune in Japanese culture has also supported this situation. It was thought that cats needed to be fed to double this chance. However, as there were no known predators on the islands, cats began to multiply uncontrollably.
Having a population of 900 in 1945, Aoshima is now home to only 9 people over the age of 70. The people living on the island have difficulty keeping the cats from eating the fish, even though they feed the cats. This is one of the reasons why people engaged in fishing migrate to other places. In 2014, 79 out of 90 cats were neutered in order not to increase the number of cats due to the odor and discomfort of the cats on the island. However, since there are still many cats on the island, there was no question of neutering all of them.
Aoshima Island is famous for its cats that greet people at its port. But although it has become popular on social media in recent years, it is not actually a tourist destination. The island does not offer tourist amenities such as cars, hotels, restaurants or vending machines, and the inhabitants are usually elderly. Getting to the island is also not easy, there are only two ferries a day. However, it is a place worth exploring for cat lovers.
Tashiro-Jima Island with Cat Temple
Tashiro-jima is known as an island off the Pacific Ocean of Japan. The island is located west of Ajishima, off the Oshika Peninsula. Just like Aoshima, this island also has a large cat population. Originally, it was intended to contain increasing numbers of rodents, but eventually the cat population began to outnumber the human population.
Tashiro-jima’s relationship with cats is a little more mystical than Aoshima’s. In the center of the island is a temple dedicated to cats. In addition to the cat temple, there is also a cat statue on the island. This statue was made for one of the cats who lost their lives in the accident. Pet dogs are not allowed on the island, as cats are highly loved by the island’s residents. Miyagi district, to which Tashiro-jima is affiliated, is home to many cat temples and cat monuments.
For the article about the Japanese island of Okunoshima, which has a bad history and is inhabited only by rabbits, CLICK HERE.
