Stationmaster Cats

[bill937ca]

 

Judging by the some reactions in Keikyu Cult thread some members of the board are not aware the propensity of Japanese railways to appoint cats and sometimes dogs as stationmasters at minor stations.  It started with Tama a stray cat in 2004. Sadly, Tama passed away in 2015 and received a full funeral.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tama_(cat)

 

 

 

[cteno4]

And of course Hachikō.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Best thread ever!!!

[gavino200]

9 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

And of course Hachikō.

 

jeff

 

Eh, where's the link?? 🤨

[cteno4]

Sorry I’ll make you copy and paste it into the browser and you can choose which version of the story you want to read.

 

jeff

[katoftw]

Bungo-Taketa station cat

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210405/p2a/00m/0na/032000c

[bill937ca]

 

 

Video by Whitworth Media

Edited May 3, 2021 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Cat station manager at Takeda station. Video by Hirokun TV.

 

 

 

[bill937ca]

Sometimes it's a dog is the station ambassador.  JR East Akita Branch has appointed a Tourism Sales Chief at its Aomori Prefecture Ajigasawa Station (Gono Line) - a dog named "Chome"  Video by ToonippoPress.

 

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by bill937ca

[Cat]

Osamu was the original station cat at Nakaminato station, later joined by Mini Samu (aka Mini-chan).

Osamu passed away in 2019 and received a full Shinto burial.
https://bunshun.jp/articles/-/12494

[Szdfan]

Is this a version of the Japanese love for mascots? What do you think drives this obsession to have a mascot / cute creature associated with everything?

[cteno4]

It’s here in the us as well we just try to be too cool and act like we don’t! 
 

jeff

[bill937ca]

Kawaii explained.     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawaii