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How to visit the cats of Jogashima Island Park on a “Tuna Ticket” from Tokyo

Oona McGee Jun 29, 2016
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Cats 21

We take a trip to an island close to Tokyo and find a haven for adorably sleepy, relaxed kitties.

While Japan has over 10 “cat islands” where large populations of felines are free to roam and play, many of them are located down south, around the areas of Shikoku and Kyushu, far away from the nation’s capital. Cat lovers closer to the metropolis don’t have to miss out, though, with an island in Kanagawa Prefecture, located roughly an hour away from Shinagawa Station, being home to a cute cat population of its own. To get here, visitors can use the special “Misaki Maguro Kippu”, or “Misaki Tuna Ticket”, which covers the cost of trains, buses, a restaurant tuna meal, and an entertainment activity like a hot spa visit or boat trip in the Misaki area.

▼ The 3,060 yen (US$30) ticket, which can be purchased at the Keikyu ticket counter at Shinagawa Station, saves visitors more than 2,100 yen, making it a great way to visit the area on a day trip from Tokyo.

After arriving at Misaki Station, we took the bus bound for Jogashima, alighting at the final stop, in front of the Hakushu Memorial (Hakushu Ishibumi) just over the bridge from the mainland. From there, it’s a 650-metre (0.4-mile) walk uphill to the park where the cats are known to live.

▼ The park entrance is just beyond this covered walkway.

As soon as we passed through the entrance, we spotted a couple of cats curled up on a park bench.

Immediately relaxed after seeing the sleepy cats, we ventured out in search of more cute kittens around the park.

While the cat population isn’t very large here, it still wasn’t long before we saw another drowsy cat, this time sheltering from the sea breeze on a path behind some bushes.

▼ There were cats sitting in the grass…

▼ And playing amongst the flowers.

▼ And this ginger kitty was more than happy to receive some affection on an overcast day.

Part of the fun in visiting the park is searching for and discovering the cats hiding around the area. On a fine day, though, we imagine the cats would prefer to lie around in the sunshine, making them much easier to spot.

Located at the tip of the island, the park overlooks the sea, making it an ideal place to explore the rocky coastline.

After enjoying everything the park had to offer, and bidding farewell to the felines who probably couldn’t care less, we headed off to catch the last bus back to the mainland. Despite it being a rainy-day outing, it was a fantastic trip and one we can’t wait to do again when it’s warmer in summer!

Park Information
Jogashima Island Park/城ケ島公園
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Miura-shi, Misakimachi, Jogashima
神奈川県三浦市三崎町城ケ島
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (April – September); 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (October – March)
Website (Japanese)