How is Japan’s CAT ISLAND Surviving Without Tourists

Situated in the middle of the Seto Inland sea, Aoshima is tiny but probably the most famous of Japan’s eleven cat islands. Aoshima has the largest feline population with over 200 cats, while only 7 humans live there. For any cat lovers visiting Japan, this is absolutely one for the bucket list!
Only accessible by boat, most tourists visit on the daily ferry. The schedule can be found here:
www.city.ozu.ehime.jp/soshiki... (Japanese Only)
According to the Animals Foundation (どうぶつ基金), most of the cats on the island have now been spayed, which has curbed the population's growth and also drastically decreased the fighting between the males. It has all also to an overall stabilization of the cat's weight and health condition.
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[@JapanGo]

Hands up if you want to live on Cat Island!? 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@lityfity4197]

bruh i ain't even seen the video yet but that sounds sick

[@JapanGo]

@lity fity If you like cats, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it 😉 - Yasu

[@loufuddrucker391]

I would love it.

[@lordface6477]

✋✋✋✋✋✋

[@jinagibson6818]

🙂

[@remby4085]

This island is "creeper free" lmao

[@ireaperyt7696]

what a waste of a potential farm

[@remby4085]

@@ireaperyt7696 lol

[@someeurasiandude1763]

"creeperless"

[@franzdaboi3131]

@@ireaperyt7696 its a cat gift afk farm

[@MossPathway]

Lol

[@Lunabyes]

You can tell they're cat people by the way they immediately meowed back and forth with no hesitation lmao

[@JapanGo]

Doesn't everyone do that? Aha 😅🐈 - Julian

[@user-fi5cb9dt6k]

I love how they’ve all been spayed and neutered. They’re being taken care of very well, and it’s really heartwarming to know that! Much love for these kitties, I’d love to visit them one day 🥺

[@erikag7334]

I was worried about over population. Thank god they have been spayed and neutered👏🏼👏🏼 smart decision!!!

[@hannahreed6125]

But why did they have to clip the ear why not give them like a tag

[@user-fi5cb9dt6k]

@@hannahreed6125 because it’s one of the best way to let people know that they’ve been taken care of when it comes to a large number of cats. Instantly recognisable and painless for them anyway

[@sadiasiddique852]

@@user-fi5cb9dt6k how is it painless?

[@novanine]

I visited the cat island called Ainoshima, near Fukuoka. I thought there were three cat islands in Japan - had no idea there were 11! I’d also like to visit the bunny island (Okunoshima), off the coast to the east of Hiroshima.

[@JapanGo]

Oh yeah, I had heard of a few including Ainoshima (where I believe Julian has been to too), but certainly surprised to find out that there are 11! I’d also want to visit the bunny island when we got a chance - Yasu

[@surprisedpikachuvince7313]

How does it feel to get hearted by a creator?

[@novanine]

@@surprisedpikachuvince7313 It feels unremarkable. 🤷‍♂️

[@zubairwinata3513]

@@surprisedpikachuvince7313 isn't Hiroshima still Radioactive, but idk I last read the article about 1/2 years ago

[@snobbypanda]

@Jezzington, I was already surprised to see you mention three, not knowing that they're 8 more! 😂😂 Furthermore, bunny island??? I don't know why I'm not in these cute places!

[@smilefor1day744]

“How many cats island do you want?” Japan:YES

[@JapanGo]

😂 I'm not complaining!

[@taralewis446]

Oh my goodness.. cats are just loving the attention & companionship. Very sweet how well they are taken care of

[@deanmcintyre4334]

O.o those cats are much more well mannered than my cats. They sing like a choir when I bring chicken out for them/not to mention trying to climb me swiping their claws to try and catch my hand

[@JapanGo]

Haha, your cats are completely normal, I suppose! The cats on the island were so used to interacting with many tourists that they seemed sophisticated in a way 😆 - Yasu

[@Razendle]

I love the different personalities on these cats!

[@brianscott5153]

I love Japan. NHK is still my preferred source for world news due to their honesty and accuracy. Great video.

[@JapanGo]

Thanks man! I enjoy watching some of the documentaries made by NHK, they’re good at it for sure! - Yasu

[@brianscott5153]

@@JapanGo they have a unique talent for capturing reality. 72hrs is one of my favorites. Where we Call Home... All solid. But they are direct and don't mislead or use misinformation for profit. But great channel. Like the content.

[@haparcheledupwar]

agree❤😊

[@buddyclem7328]

I like NHK, BBC, and that one from Germany. Some people in Britain complain about the bias of the BBC, but I like how they're not afraid to openly criticize US politics, regardless of party affiliation.

[@kyungsookaisehun]

Woahhh really wanna visit all of 11 cat Island someday, it's really great place to cat lovers 🥺🥺🥺❤️❤️and they are all really cute, beautiful and lovely 🥺

[@shukei122]

Excellent guide as always! Aoshima looks like such a lovely island! Also, cats getting feed is always adorable😍

[@JapanGo]

Thanks bro! Haha yea you can never go wrong with cats! - Julian

[@internziko]

Cant wait for the dreamworks animated movie based on this..

[@ocsrc]

Don't they have vending machines ? It would make sense to have vending machines with food and drinks for people and for cats

[@JapanGo]

That’s a good point, but there’s no vending machine on the island. I also thought it’ll be a good revenue source for the local people and cats! - Yasu

[@weetak]

The machine must be cat friendly. Menu and button must be low enough for cats to read and select

[@liagamer4265]

might be to discourage people from buying stuff to feed the cats (As in human food that may not be for good them, since of course you can still get the chicken to feed them)

[@johnp999]

The vending machines would have to be in Catanese. 🤪

[@buddyclem7328]

@@weetak This idea of cats using vending machines is going to be making me laugh for a long time! As a former vending mechanic, the logistics would be very difficult, which makes it even funnier! Thank you. I needed that.

[@NessieMay]

So awesome! Love all of the pretty kitties! 🐱

[@jsgg7735]

Hey I'm Back Nice patching. Never tired of these. ! Marvellous. Never tired of these. ! Well done.

[@blackleague212]

Japan has so much respect for their animals

[@gabrielraboy5359]

Tell that to the whales

[@Im-fq1mn]

Whaling is denounced more than the invasion of Iraq or the Aborigines hunt. Animal rights activists: whales are more important than indigenous people.

[@user-jc6ex8yj2t]

@@gabrielraboy5359 クジラは飯やで

[@monker_editZ]

Have i found my new home on youtube? Yes, I have.

[@bobbinsthethird]

Looking forward to the next upload!

[@ronisworld2916]

you got me on the 1st meow! thanks for the tour, subs!

[@KATinBLACK]

I worried about that since I heard that tourism went down during Covid. Glad to see the cats are well, even though they’re a bit sad they don’t get as much attention as they used to

[@DLo-kp1jd]

Would love to live here and take care of these cats some day...🙏🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤

[@gnemelf]

Great video! So many cats!

[@JapanGo]

Thanks, and yes, we met so many of them 😆 - Yasu

[@esnips123123]

When my dog barks and make noises in his sleep, I bet he's dreaming about being at this Island.

[@cameramark77]

So very cute cats!! I just feel bad for them that they have no owners and not much shelter. I would hate to see cats suffer, but I hope the islanders take care of the cats.

[@Astran0th]

Is it generally save to touch those cats? I've often been told to stay away from stray cats due to them possibly having illnesses or worms - but I could imagine that if they made the effort to spay them there, that ppl might also try to help against stuff like that. I really wanna visit one of those islands someday. I've also seen videos about a rabbit island and a fox village - pretty amazing, what Japan has to offer :D

[@JapanGo]

It's hard to say for certain but they're stray not feral, and they get fed pretty well and tended to by volunteers who visit the island periodically. You'd still probably want to wash your hands after though aha.

[@Astran0th]

@@JapanGo Alright, thanks!

[@petlover_20]

👀🙋😽

[@GP-wu1eu]

Definitely never touch a stray cat bro for obvious reasons

[@kimecosx]

@@GP-wu1eu you can touch strays, just be educated enough to understand the dos and donts to make a rational judgment instead of reacting out of fear. But you can touch strays especially if nothings obviously wrong with them. Feral ones are the ones I wouldn’t ever touch. A basic google search is there if people don’t understand the difference between stray and feral cats.

[@amenerstugard1894]

Absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much. 🙂

[@christadauria4362]

As I am the cat lover as the cat person, I recently have heard about cat islands of Japan and other Ancient Japanese cat folk sores. I really like cats and kittens at best.

[@DamnAwesome]

Awesome video! i hope you guys get more subs!

[@JapanGo]

Cheers mate!

[@familyadventuresinrandomne7750]

Mine and my daughters bucket list most definitely

[@fffrrraannkk]

I had no idea Japanese cats ate with chopsticks!

[@itsfroggy1571]

this place is going on my bucket list

[@koldheartedsteppa4827]

It’s like why some people can be mean to these sweet furry creatures 🥺they are the most innocent

[@bigsleez8655]

So much evil

[@junlijr3602]

Very beautiful video of the cats.

[@buggiemara4902]

So cute!!!!

[@expiredmilk9239]

When I was kid we had like 12 cats around the house and even more in the neighborhood

[@leosag816]

What a beautiful place & lovely population.

[@user-ed6bk2uu8j]

This island is full of fluffs 😍

[@WireWeHere]

Sounds nuts but losing some ear in a catfight is akin to winning the Tomcat Lottery.

[@lowiellevado911]

The paradise I ever imagined 💙.

[@astro1498]

Having cats is awsome. But going to a whole cat island is a dream

[@KaiX_Gaming]

Paradise on another level

[@youtubeconnollyfamily]

Can’t believe I’m only finding out about this channel today

[@devanshpratapsinghparmar7433]

Awesome 👍😎

[@TheRealOtakuako]

It's funny that we think cats adore us when they rub themselves on you. But what they're really doing is they "mark" you by spraying their pee. It's they're way of saying "I OWN YOU NOW HOOMANS..."

[@JapanGo]

Haha, like

[@liagamer4265]

The synchronized meows lol

[@SmarZ20]

They seem very polite by not fighting over the food

[@Kirinet]

I wonder when the last ever boat will go to this island? In 10 years? Maybe less? The future of this island is bleak as long as young people don't move there. But honestly, who would move there? As a tourist attraction it's too secluded from the mainland, so you don't have nearly enough people coming there to make it profitable for any restaurant or a hostel. Your only possible occupations there could be tourism or fishing. I hope someone will invest in this island one day, otherwise it will become just another deserted town in Japan.

[@blackleague212]

Should be a place for volunteers and Vets to go train. Doesnt seem too far from the mainland, but I wouldnt make this into an attraction. Just a local treat.

[@autismreqiuem]

This place reminds me of my grandparents house theres probably 30-40 cats just cassualy living outside here house. And she never even intended for it to happen which makes it even crazier.

[@AhloiFTW]

So the real question is, how do the cats survive? Are they provided with food at all

[@StyleshStorm]

After I was forced out of Hawaii with the family, I wouldn't mind a tropical scenery with ninis.

[@OlafurSigporsson]

Awesome 😻

[@hammertownpavao]

I would love to live there !

[@Iren_kimuno]

Same

[@michaeleverett2597]

"This is not what we had in mind". My Buddies after I suggested we come here for the Bachelor Party.

[@user-mn2sl5ie5f]

日本の猫島有名なの嬉しい

[@saramccormack3025]

No restaurants, No convenience stores? How do the inhabitants manage? What do they do when they're bored??

[@tzo_ghoul7167]

so in japan there is a cat island and in Australia it's a spider island

[@DLo-kp1jd]

I want to come here and visit .....

[@ocsrc]

Good kitties

[@AngelHitoshi]

Omgg I just wanna take them all home!!🤍

[@JapanGo]

You'll have to get there before me!! - Julian

[@TheFyneazz1]

@@JapanGo can u take them home

[@LJkittycat]

I hope clipping there ears doesn’t hurt them

[@JapanGo]

I hope so too and believe that’s the case! - Yasu

[@knightrider693]

They'd be drugged to spay them so I'm sure that's when they'd do it..

[@sl2357]

good question

[@kryptonianpowers]

Ranma Saotome would be terrified of this place. It would be his personal version of Snake Island.

[@cyllenecarpo6178]

Cute🥰

[@linuxwillrise]

I bet that place smells wonderful >.

[@zebrabello7484]

Wow ils sont stérilisés je le vois car une 👂 coupé cela veut dire que le chat est stérilisé 😻🙌

[@mike_steve4291]

Imagine a mouse stranded in this island after days on the see, and think it is finally safe

[@Cowwector_II]

Aww

[@evelynwhittington5089]

Cat island is real heaven to me with all does beauty babies.

[@ashleigh5016]

I could live on this island forever

[@v.dargain1678]

A job as caretaker would be nice too .

[@haparcheledupwar]

is it aloud?

[@George10767]

I am interested to see that a minority of these cats have truncated tails! Occasionally I notice a cat with no tail at-all! I have visited the Isle of Man (part of the British Isles) which is home to the Manx Cat. They, also, have no tails. But there are plenty of non-Manx cats on that island, and a lot of inter-breeding between Manx and non-Manx cats. The absence of a tail is due to a genetic abnormality. I had thought that genes were either "dominant" or "recessive". I would expect that the offspring of a Manx and a non-Manx cat would have a normal tail, but apparently this is not always true. I have never encountered cats without tails anywhere outside the Isle of Man.

[@buddyclem7328]

In the US, my aunt used to have a bob tail cat, but I was told that was because of an incident with the screen door. He would wag his little stump very happily.

[@PJmusicBoy]

I'm planning on going but I heard that if it rains, the boats will get cancelled. Is it true? How bad the weather has to be? I just don't want to go all the way out to Nagahama and spent the night there, only to find out that the ferry has been cancelled the next morning.

[@barajatri]

Cats be like: Hey hooman this is our Island and you are most welcome 😽

[@iheartcats32]

Creeper on the catland: BAS BAS MAMAAAAAAAA!

[@rebeccahbaker3730]

i subed liked and ringed the bell

[@robertlesslar8584]

These Guys are incredible caring for these gorgeous Animals......the Rescue deserves your support by way of subscription and Donation.....send the link to Friends....... keep the light of compassion burning brightly on Cat Island......

[@november9252]

So how and where do they got drinks??

[@whushaw]

I wish a veterinarian union in Japan could help these poor cats

[@buddyclem7328]

I'm sure a number of the volunteers who care for these cats are veterinarians.

[@doop00]

Really wish they didn't cut their ears, other than that I'd l ove to go there.

[@thebonguncensored8656]

Heaven for cat lovers like me 👀❤

[@xfrootie908]

Does this affect state taxes?

[@rebeccahbaker3730]

i love cat island i want to live there i will never go back to home cats are life

[@Oscarthefluff12]

Man the eyes of a cat

[@malldavid16601]

Take me there please ITS A DEMAND

[@labonimondal754]

Some one through me their 🤣🤣

[@delroku]

I want to live there

[@Kieran_Duffy]

They took ‘creepers are scared of cats’ to a whole new level.

[@liamslaney4921]

I need go here , just see with my own eyes ,

[@UwUai]

want to visit there T.T

[@JapanGo]

Hopefully soon we can travel freely again!

[@sparrowizsecondlieutenant84]

we need a 360, has anyone done a 360?

[@moco8721]

Can we take them home ?

[@sasassy4887]

❤❤❤❤

[@argiekargie69]

Are there any native birds or marsupials left on that island ?

[@v.dargain1678]

Good question .

[@yasminsoliman9160]

Why most of the cats have cut to the ear ?

[@sense9847]

👍

[@JapanGo]

👍👍

[@OcularGod9075]

The real island boys

[@peshisparkles1582]

How do the cats survive? How are they so well fed?

[@hermanmostar2600]

Is there a hotel tho?

[@xxarcangelxx143]

There's like 11 cat islands if I remember correctly

[@luchi5682]

I would like to live there😂

[@njvdesigns6050]

Cute