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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > The Cat Stationmaster of Kishi Station
Take a ride along the Kishigawa Line and meet Japan’s most famous and adorable stationmaster
Kinokawa Fruits Tourism Bureau
Kishi Station on the Wakayama Electric Railway Kishigawa Line is famous for its stationmaster cat. The first cat stationmaster Tama passed away in 2015 and has now become a guardian deity with a dedicated shrine standing on the platform. Today, you can find her cute successors Nitama (TamaⅡ) and Yontama (Tama Ⅳ) greeting passengers from the stationmaster's office at Kishi Station.
Running through beautiful farmland and rural towns, the Kishigawa Line operates special themed trains with motifs of strawberries and pickled plums, Wakayama’s local specialties, as well as a Tama-themed train decorated with images of stationmaster Tama. The Tama Densha Museum train, in particular, is not to be missed. Photos and illustrations of Tama, Nitama, and Yontama are arranged all over the train carriage, and the interior space looks like a luxury hotel lounge.
The Kishi Station building also has a unique design. The cat-like exterior was built in traditional Japanese style, with a thatched roof and stained-glass windows. Original goods, and food and beverage menu inspired by the stationmaster Tama are available at the Tama Café and Tama Shop inside the station.
How to get there
From Kansai Airport, take the JR line to Wakayama Station, via Hineno Station (50 minutes). Then take the Wakayama Electric Railway to Kishi Station (30 minutes).
803 Kodo, Kishigawa-cho, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama-ken
