First things first. Long ago, the cats served an important role on Tashirojima: hunting mice, the natural predator of silk worms that the islanders raised for silk production. Fishermen were collecting rocks to use with fixed nets, but one day a rock fell on a certain unlucky feline, killing it. The fishermen felt so sorry for the loss, that they buried the cat and enshrined it here. Hence, 猫神社 (Nekojinja, Cat Shrine) was erected. Normally, visitors are greeted by a cat that lives around here, known as the Guardian. I hope it's because of the rain that I didn't meet him.
taken on 1 December 2016, 10:26
location: Cat Shrine in Tashirojima, Miyagi, Japan