TASHIROJIMA, Japan (AP) — On a little island off Japan’s northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for not likely regional guardians: felines.
The “Neko Jinja,” or Feline Shrine, mythologizes felines as guardian angels of Tashirojima, where felines surpass human beings.
Legend states the island utilized to be popular for sericulture and farmers would keep felines since they would repel rats, safeguarding the silkworm cocoons from the rodents.
Anglers on the island have actually likewise generally thought that felines bring all the best, consisting of big hauls of fish.
Another legend states anglers utilized to enjoy the felines’ habits for pointers on the coming weather condition before heading to sea.
The islanders have actually long existed together with the felines. One day, nevertheless, an angler inadvertently hurt a feline while working. Sympathizing with the injury, the islanders constructed the shrine for felines.
Tashirojima belongs to the city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture in the Tohoku area, which ended up being popular after a tsunami ravaged the location following a huge magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11, 2011.
Over 100 felines live in Tashirojima, in addition to about 50 human beings, according to the city’s site.
Along a paved roadway running about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in between the island’s 2 ports, felines groom themselves and join other felines.
There are a couple of coffee shops and inns, however no automobile rental stores, filling station or mass transit. Travelers are anticipated to pace the island’s hills while going to.
The majority of the felines are utilized to travelers, who can be seen cuddling the friendly animals throughout the island.