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A cat stationmaster appointed in May at Nakanocho Station on the Choshi Electric Railway in Chiba Prefecture has been attracting visitors with her charm. The cat, tentatively named Nakano-san after the station, is an approximately 11-month-old female. She promotes the railway by bringing comfort and joy to visitors through duties such as “checking safety” around the station, seeing off departing trains, and interacting with fans.
Just after noon on May 23, more than a dozen fans had gathered in the small waiting room at Nakanocho Station, which also serves as the ticket office, to see the feline stationmaster. Each time she meowed, smartphone shutters clicked and voices rang out with exclamations of “kawaii!” (“so cute!”)
Fans bring more than just treats and stuffed toys. Some even present photo books as gifts, giving Nakano-san the kind of popularity usually reserved for an idol.
From Stray Cat to Stationmaster
Nakano-san first appeared at Nakanocho Station on October 14 last year, when station staff found her near a vending machine outside and took her in. She later went to live with a member of Choshi City’s regional revitalization team. Since the railway company’s president, Katsunori Takemoto, is known for his love of cats, she began “coming to work” as a trainee employee in January this year.
Her appointment was also inspired by the long-running success of the famous cat stationmasters at Kishi Station on the Wakayama Electric Railway Kishigawa Line in Kinokawa, who have attracted tourists to the area for years.
Recognized for her hard work, Nakano-san was promoted to cat stationmaster on May 6 in an exceptionally rapid rise through the ranks. She mainly works on weekends for about two hours a day, usually watching over passengers from the top shelf of a bookcase in the waiting room, which serves as her “stationmaster’s office.”
Apparently, this is her favorite spot, as she rarely uses the cardboard “company housing” set up for her in the same room.
“She seems scared of the loud noise of the trains. But in terms of hospitality, she’s doing more than enough,” said Remi Moue, the conductor responsible for the cat stationmaster. Moue added that the way Nakano-san constantly meows, as if chatting with people, is especially adorable.
Saving a Local Railway
The cat stationmaster has had a remarkable effect on visitor numbers. According to Moue, Choshi Electric Railway traditionally attracted railway enthusiasts, but many more people are now visiting specifically to see Nakano-san. Sales of merchandise featuring the cat, such as keychains, have also been strong, and the railway recently began selling baked sweets as well.
Like many rural railways in Japan, Choshi Electric Railway has repeatedly faced the threat of closure due to population decline along its routes.
Even so, the company has managed to survive through creative products such as its famous soft rice crackers and the novelty snack “Mazui-bo” (“Bad-Tasting Stick”), a parody of the popular Japanese snack Umaibo (“Delicious Stick”).
Last year, the railway rebranded itself as the “Inubozaki Cliffhanger Line,” referencing both the nearby cliffs and the company’s finances being “on the brink,” another publicity stunt that drew national attention.
Still, depopulation in rural areas continues, and the future of local railways remains uncertain.
“Nakano-san carries the company’s future on her shoulders,” Moue said. “We want to escape this cliff-edge situation, even if we have to rely on the power of cats.”
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Author: Hiroaki Okada, The Sankei Shimbun
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