Tama the Cat: The Legacy of Kishi’s Super Stationmaster

The Decline of the Kishigawa Line

Although now called Wakayama Railway, the line used to operate as Nankai Electric Railway Kishigawa Line.

The Nankai Kishigawa Line was built to help passengers visit the shrines in Wakayama but the number of users declined so dramatically that Nankai Electric Railway considered discontinuing the line. Then, a company in Okayama came forward to take over the business.

At the time, part of the land that train company had was about to be sold, and they found Tama, a stray cat, living on the land.

Since they could not just let him go, they decided to make Tama the stationmaster. It was the first attmpt in Japan to appoint the cat as a stationmaster. 

Once she became stationmaster, people from all over the world came to see her. The station started to make Tama the Cat merchandise, which tourists happily bought up. Because of her contributions to the company, Tama got promoted, and became a chief executives of the company.

Tama’s Successors, Nitama and Yontama

The Wakayama Electric Railway departs from JR Wakayama Station. Once you enter the JR ticket gate and then proceed to another gate for Wakayama Electric Railway platform. The train is well guided, so you will not get lost. 

Make sure to buy a one day ticket. Just going round-trip between Wakayama and Kishi is 820 yen and a one-day ticket is just 800 yen.

Also, before you go, check the Wakayama Railway’s website to make sure that Nitama and Yontama are on duty that day. 

Today, most of the people who use the Wakayama Electric Railway are those who commute to work or school in Wakayama City, but when I got on the train, I found a few tourists, including foreigners visiting Japan, riding here and there. Even if they are not as popular as they used to be, there are still people who come.

The Tama Train Museum train was designed by the famous Eiji Mitooka. The details are made of wood, which is very unique. It also looks somewhat similar to his another work, Tango Railway. 

The lighting chandelier gives the train a nice luxurious feel, and the interior of the train looks like a museum.

After 30-minute train ride from Wakayama, we arrived at the final stop, Kishi Station. 

Nitama is in charge of Kishi Station. She was also a stray cat the train company in Okayama adopted her. Before long, they made her the apprentice to Tama the Cat. After Tama died, she became the new stationmaster of the Wakayama Railway.

Nitama has a long fur and looks like a Persian cat.

At the age of 16, Tama the Cat passed away. Of course she had a funereal, which attracted some 3,000 people including the governor and mayor of Wakayama.

After her death, Tama had one last accomplishment, godhood. Sanctified as Tama Daimyojin, her little shrine is in front of Kishi Station.

Due to Tama and Nitama’s popularity, Kishi Station got a makeover a few years ago. It shapes like a kitty and the roof is hiwada-buki (cypress bark), which is commonly seen in Shinto shrines.

It is pretty incredible that many people still come all the way to Kishi Station just to see Nitama, especially since the station is pretty remote. If you have time sit a while and visit the Tama café or the gift shop next to the station where you can buy a plenty of Tama and Nitama goods!