CHIBA, Japan – A cat stationmaster at a local Japanese train station is drawing fans and boosting merchandise sales as the struggling railway operator banks on the feline’s popularity to attract more tourists.
The female cat, tentatively named Nakano-san, found a home at Nakanocho Station in the port town of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, after being rescued by a staff member last October. Thin and suffering from a cold that kept her eyes closed, she gradually recovered and grew accustomed to people under the care of station personnel.
The cat debuted as an apprentice employee in January before becoming a full-fledged stationmaster in May. She now works about once a week due to the summer heat and appears on social media as part of Choshi Electric Railway Co.’s public relations activities.
When Nakano-san — whose name includes the honorific suffix “san” in Japanese — reported for duty in mid-July, fans with cameras crowded the station premises. The feline used to roam the area, but the sweltering weather has led her to spend most of her time atop a bookshelf inside the station.
Remi Magami, the cat stationmaster’s secretary, said, “I hope Nakano-san will give people a reason to visit Choshi.”
Mayumi Ito, who is from Tokyo, said she has visited the station once a month since Nakano-san became stationmaster. The 47-year-old said she sees the cat as “like a relative’s child,” having known her since she was a kitten.
According to the cat’s online profile, she is curious, affectionate, playful and sleeps a lot. Her “special skills” include dropping the computer mouse on the floor and sleeping on top of documents.
