On one idyllic Japanese island, there's no such thing as a dog person. Tashirojima is a dwindling two-port, 100-person fishing community where cats outnumber humans many times over. It's a real-life ...

One of Japan's 'cat islands,' Tashirojima Island is home to an unusually large number of cats. With their cuddly looks and standoffish attitude, cats are full of charisma, and tourists can't seem to ...

TASHIROJIMA, Japan (AP) — On a small island off Japan’s northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for unlikely local guardians: cats. The “Neko Jinja,” or Cat Shrine, mythologizes cats ...

While the domestic cat is believed to have originated in the Middle East, the species’ affable nature and prowess for rodent extermination has allowed it to expand across the globe, reaching some of ...

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi — TASHIROJIMA, Japan (AP) — On a small island off Japan's northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for unlikely local guardians: cats. The "Neko Jinja," or Cat Shrine ...

Atlas Obscura on Slate is a blog about the world’s hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook and Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter. On the island of Tashirojima, the cats outnumber people, and the people like ...

Deputy director of the social group "Nyanko Kyouwakoku" Yutaka Hama plays with cats on Tashirojima Island, Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on Dec. 13, 2017. (Mainichi) ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- Here kitty, ...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to Cat Island. No, make that Cat Islands—plural! Because in Japan, there are at least two locations in Japan with that nickname. Perhaps the ...

Atlas Obscura on Slate is a blog about the world's hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook, Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter @atlasobscura. A 40-minute ferry ride from Ishinomaki, near Sendai, will get you ...

On a small island off Japan's northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for unlikely local guardians: cats. The "Neko Jinja," or Cat Shrine, mythologizes cats as guardian angels of ...