Tashirojima

Island · Ishinomaki

Tashirojima

Island · Ishinomaki

1

Tashirohama, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0023, Japan

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Tashirojima by nakae/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
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Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by nakae/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by alexisfong (Atlas Obscura User)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by Wellflat/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Tashirojima by id:takefumi/Flickr (Creative Commons)
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Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
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Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
Tashirojima by null
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Highlights

Tashirojima, or Cat Island, is a charming spot in Japan where wild cats reign supreme, featuring cozy cat-shaped cabins and a serene shrine dedicated to felines.  

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Tashirohama, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0023, Japan Get directions

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Tashirohama, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0023, Japan Get directions

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Last updated

Jul 30, 2025

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10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

"On the island of Tashirojima in the Miyagi Prefecture, the cats outnumber people, and the people like it that way. It’s no accident that the cats who inhabit Tashirojima—or what has become known as “Cat Island”—in Japan have come to be the island’s primary residents. Cats have long been thought by the locals to represent luck and good fortune, and doubly so if you feed and care for them. Thus, the cats are treated like kings, and although most are feral because keeping them as “pets” is generally considered inappropriate, they are well-fed and well-cared-for. Despite this, luck and fortune haven’t exactly come to the human residents of “Cat Island.” In the last 50 years, the human population of the island has dwindled from 1,000 to fewer than 100. As more and more people have shunned the island as it became dominated by felines, the people that have remained have become ever more protective of the cats.  Currently, dogs are not allowed on the island to protect the well-being of the cats—and presumably any dog foolish enough to venture onto an island full of feral cats. There is even a small cat shrine (Neko-jinja 猫神社 in Japanese) in the middle of the island to commemorate an accidentally killed cat. The cats may end up bringing luck after all, however. Tourism has been picking up as the island has become an attraction for curious travelers, thanks to all of those cats." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/10-animal-places-to-visit-in-2019
View Postcard for Tashirojima

iAmal 40

Google
Lovely Island lots of cats all over the island there are some cafe with food and souvenirs Make sure to donate for the cats, a lot of abandoned places and vehicles interesting and sad at the same time feeding the cats are not allowed they islanders make sure to feed them well toilets are available also, one vending machine near Neitro port make sure to check the ferry schedule for pick up times and ports

Iya Benjamin

Google
Lovely island full of cats! The boat ride was calming, the walk on the island is peaceful and there are shops to grab drinks and food. Worth a day's visit!

Michael Hobbs

Google
A beautiful island with some breathtaking views. The cats stick to the populated areas and some are quiet friendly while others only want treats or simply to be left alone. A few wander away from the more built up areas and hang out on the popular trails, but you can walk most of the island and never see a cat except for when you arrive and leave. The entire west side of the island is dotted with shrines and lookouts, but it's uninhabited, making for a very nice walk without having to run across anyone. My only issue was the health of the cats. Several are very healthy and obviously well cared for (clean, on the heavy side). But there are several that are very sickly looking. There does seem to be an area that takes them in to care for them, but except for the ones that are actual pets, the rest simply roam. This is nothing against the island's residents, as they do feed and care for them, but I feel bad for the sickly ones.

A A

Google
Cats everywhere!!!!! Lots of fluffy cats. I personally not a cat person because I’m afraid with hyperactive cats, but cats here are very calm. Visiting here on golden week, most of the cat still have fluffy fur after winter. I arrived at Nitoda port and walking through the island to depart back to Ishinomaki from Ohdomari port. Lots of cat are stayed in Olive Cafe. We can also buy souvenirs from this cafe.

Joel Smith

Google
Great trip for those living in japan or visiting. I went to cat island with my GF during the first week in October. It was a cloudy and a little rainy but there were still many cat to see and the light rain didn’t seem to bother them. They will walk up to you or you can walk up to them and they will let you pet them or if you have food feed them. The cats are surprisingly calm and clean. They might have some cat disease because the are wild but for the most part are very safe to be around. The island isn’t very big it take about 40 minutes to walk from one end to the other. The locals are nice but don’t speak to much English. There is a store on the island that sells food and snacks for when you get there but I recommend you bring food with you just in case. There are also little cafes on the inland run by the locals. We went to one and it was nice the guy there made pasta for me and gave me a beer it was good. The way I got there was by going from Tokyo to Sendai. Then Sendai to a small town named Ishinomaki. Then go to the boat port named Ajishima Line and from there you can catch a ferry to Toshirojima. The island is beautiful I highly recommend and I will definitely go back. A special place for sure.

potato

Google
Sadly not many cats, and they seem hungry, begging for food, come for the cats and the decaying houses, vehicles and shrines. Beautiful.

Kwan Wai Leong

Google
So many cats! Actually there are a little less than what we expected. But once you start feeding them around the town area, they all pop out of nowhere and in a short time, there'll be 10 of them around you. The cats are friendly with humans and each other although fights do break out. Please do not disturb them if they seem uninterested. Besides a cafe near the cat shrine further inland, I didnt see any restaurants. There might be a convenience store in town but it's recommended that you bring your own snacks and water and of course, cat food. The town is largely deserted with a small number of families still living there. It's a little sad to see how hard the place was hit by the 2011 tsunaimi. Many of the cats seem to be sick or injured as well. Nevertheless, this is definitely a must go for cat lovers! Dress light during the summer, especially if you want to trek to the cat shrine!

K B

Google
There were cats everywhere! I probably saw upwards of 50 roaming around the island. I did go on a lovely, sunny fall afternoon, prime weather for cats to be meandering. I imagine cats will be more sparse in the humid summer and cold winter months. They generally looking healthy and well fed. Some, as one would expect for stray cats, did seem a bit malnourished, but they were the exception, perhaps 10% or less. Definitely worth a 2-3 hour visit if you’re in the area and love cats. Or even if you don’t, it’s a lovely island for a stroll and tea.