Tashirojima – Cat island in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture

Singaporeans flock to Japan for delicious food, cherry blossoms, and views of Mount Fuji. For animal lovers, it’s the free-roaming animals that are a sight to behold. There are Nara Park’s adorable deer and the sly foxes at Zao Fox Village in Fukushima.

If you have a fondness for felines, this island in Japan might be a worthy addition to your itinerary. Tashirojima, also called “Cat Island”, has a disproportionate feline-to-human ratio – here’s all you need to know. 

Why is Tashirojima called “Cat Island”?

First of all, yes, this island is dominated by cats. If you were wondering how that came to be, a short crash course on the island’s history may be useful. 

Before Japan’s main exports became cars, machines, and other commodities, farmers on Tashirojima used to farm silk. To cope with the subsequent rat infestation that plagued their silkworm farmhouses, cats were brought in as pest control.