So let us continue the list!

500 resident island near Fukuoka. Great fishing spot if you are into fishing. There are said to be ca 100 cats living on this island. On 1.25 km2 area there  are two schools.

This is one of the two cat islands featured in CNN (the other being Tashirojima) as " the island dominated by cats" .

Basic info

Name: Ainoshima

Access: by boat

Address: Shingū-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka. There is another Ainoshima of Kitakyushu city, Fukuoka which is also one cat island.

Closest cat island to Tokyo. Maybe the area is more famous for the location in animation/manga such as Slam Dunk (Kamakura Koko Mae station (鎌倉高校前駅) where you see several famous scenes in real including the train crossing!)

There is a bridge connecting to the island thus no boat needed to get there. The island is not full of cats but we found many cats on our last visit to the island. There are several nice sea food restaurants and shops on and around Eonshima. If you are only visiting Tokyo area, check this place out. You can combine your trip to Kamakura - a Japan's ancient capital city with a big Buddha statute.

For the last 2,3 years the number of cat decreased. The island was featured by several media as an island with many cats when one of the cats was involved with a crime incident in 2012., where a cyber hacker who illegally controlled someone else's PC hid a SD card in the tiny box attached to the neck of one of the strayed cats on that island. The recent decrease seems to have reflected the increase of attention to Enoshima as a cat island.

Some say these cats have been kidnapped...(!) If you know why many of the cats disappeared from the island, please share.

Basic info

Name: Enoshima

Access: by bridge

Address: Enoshima, Fujisawa city, Kanagawa

How to get Enoshima?

15 min walk from Enoshima station of Enoshima line,

15 min walk from Shonan Enoshima station of Shonan Monorail or

10 min walk from Katase Enoshima station of Odakyu Enoshima line

For example, if you take a train from JR Tokyo station, it is around 1 hour trip. First you take  a Tokaido Line (Tokaido Honsen) to Fujisawa station then change to Enoshima line. Or take a Shonan Shinjuku line from Shinjuku station to Fujisawa station then change to Enoshima line (this is also around 1 hour). 

Probably the access is as easy as Enoshima. As many cat islands' background, the fishery industry took care of cats which can get mice. ca 300 cats and 300 people. Nice beach and camping sites in the summer. 

Basic info

Name: Aijima

Access: by boat

Address: Ainoshima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū-shi, Fukuoka

More cats than its residents (ca 300). Many family names are Manabe. Some famous movies e.g. Gokumon island shot.

There are some inns, restaurant, vending machines on this island. 

Basic info

Name: Manabeshima

Access: by boat. Take the boat from Kasaoka port to the island. It is around 1 hour and 5 mins. 990JPY. There is also an express ship. It is 45 mins. 1710 JPY.

Address: Kasaoka city, Okayama

Around 500 people (70% is older than 65 year old) living. Good that there are several ryokan and inns. No. of cat is unknown but one inn on the island says there are "many cats".

Basic info

Name: Iwaishima

Access: by boat

Address: Kaminoseki city, Kumage, Yamaguchi

Around 400 people living. One of the Kutsuna islands. Agriculture (mandarin orange) and fishery are main industries. You can rent and ride a bike. No place to stay over night.

Basic info

Name: Muzukijima

Access: by boat

Address: Matsuyama city, Ehime

Based on the island tradition, keeping dog is not allowed. Maybe this is why cat has flourished. You may see wild hogs which started living there after they swam from the main island. Around 200 people living. Main industry is fishery and camellia (like Toshima island we featured).

Basic info

Name: Kakarashima

Access: by boat

Address: Karatsu city, Saga

More cats than human (i.e. around 500 people). Actually nice swimming locations for the summer. There are two swimming areas on the islands.

Basic info

Name: Yushima 

Access: by boat

Address: Oyanomachi, Amakusa city, Kumamoto

This list is growing every year. Do you know more cat island or area full of cat? Please share with us if you want.

If you visit one of these cat islands, please follow the local rule about cats and all. Some islands have rules that you can only feed in specific area etc. 

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