Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:10,153 --> 00:00:12,832
So, we're in the biggest
shopping district in Tokyo.
2
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,120
And a crowd of people
has amassed, to, uh...
3
00:00:16,532 --> 00:00:19,043
to stroke
several cats in a pram.
4
00:00:20,808 --> 00:00:23,106
And I say that
without much surprise
5
00:00:23,131 --> 00:00:25,128
because I'm kind of
used to
6
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,018
seeing this kind of stuff
in Japan.
7
00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:29,247
If you're walking past,
8
00:00:29,272 --> 00:00:31,585
it just looks like a
pile of rugs in a pram.
9
00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:33,840
And as you get closer,
you see the paws
10
00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:35,002
like hanging out the edge,
11
00:00:35,531 --> 00:00:38,061
and as you get even more closer,
you see ten cats sleeping.
12
00:00:39,417 --> 00:00:41,657
Look at all these paws
hanging off the edge here.
13
00:00:48,732 --> 00:00:49,884
Japan has long been
14
00:00:49,909 --> 00:00:52,432
a source of confusion
for foreign travellers
15
00:00:52,457 --> 00:00:54,407
and as a British guy
who's has lived here
16
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:55,848
for almost five years now,
17
00:00:55,873 --> 00:00:58,463
in many ways I'm still as
surprised and bewildered by it
18
00:00:58,488 --> 00:01:00,094
as the day that I arrived.
19
00:01:01,463 --> 00:01:02,688
My name's Chris Broad
20
00:01:02,688 --> 00:01:05,212
and I spend my time
as a YouTube vlogger in Japan
21
00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:06,964
going in search
of the beautiful,
22
00:01:06,989 --> 00:01:08,935
the unique and the bizarre.
23
00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:11,793
From sake vending machines
and capsule hotels
24
00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,879
to a man casually walking
through central Tokyo
25
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,177
with a stroller
stuffed full of cats.
26
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,304
It's a theme that you encounter
27
00:01:20,329 --> 00:01:22,054
pretty much everyday in Japan.
28
00:01:22,478 --> 00:01:23,578
Cats.
29
00:01:24,326 --> 00:01:26,702
The Japanese have an
absolute obsession with them
30
00:01:27,260 --> 00:01:28,939
and not just as pets, either.
31
00:01:30,365 --> 00:01:32,709
I'm setting off on a journey
across the country
32
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,336
to uncover
this cat obsessed culture,
33
00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,000
where we'll explore everything
34
00:01:37,024 --> 00:01:39,127
from questionable
office practices
35
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,118
and iconic cat characters
36
00:01:41,657 --> 00:01:44,423
to famous cats that work
as mascots in shops,
37
00:01:44,627 --> 00:01:46,106
and even train stations.
38
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,168
We're off to discover what
makes Japan
39
00:01:49,263 --> 00:01:50,935
a cat nation
40
00:02:08,383 --> 00:02:11,962
Our first stop is one of
Tokyo's largest cat cafes.
41
00:02:12,059 --> 00:02:14,051
The best way
to describe a cat cafe
42
00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,839
is a coffee shop where
customers can relax and unwind
43
00:02:17,194 --> 00:02:19,067
in the presence
of dozens of cats.
44
00:02:20,622 --> 00:02:22,552
Whilst cat cafes
have started springing up
45
00:02:22,577 --> 00:02:24,292
all over the world as gimmicks,
46
00:02:24,583 --> 00:02:26,967
in Japanese cities they're
a common appearance.
47
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,280
And far from being a gimmick,
48
00:02:28,324 --> 00:02:30,428
the resolution
to a common problem.
49
00:02:31,036 --> 00:02:33,380
As a huge proportion
of Japan's population
50
00:02:33,445 --> 00:02:36,148
live in apartments where
pets are forbidden,
51
00:02:36,406 --> 00:02:39,609
the cat cafe allows customers
to effortlessly indulge
52
00:02:39,799 --> 00:02:41,641
in their passion for cats.
53
00:02:51,431 --> 00:02:53,223
So, this is the food
and drink menu.
54
00:02:53,248 --> 00:02:56,431
You can sit here,
eat your spaghetti bolognese,
55
00:02:56,694 --> 00:02:59,363
drink your ginger ale
and stroke the cats.
56
00:02:59,842 --> 00:03:00,853
It's pretty popular,
57
00:03:00,878 --> 00:03:02,532
that's what a lot of
locals come here to do.
58
00:03:02,771 --> 00:03:04,129
I can't believe it, personally,
59
00:03:04,271 --> 00:03:06,739
something seems a bit wrong
about eating
60
00:03:07,031 --> 00:03:10,321
a seafood platter surrounded
by 50 cats in a room
61
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,622
where there's fur just
everywhere in the air.
62
00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:15,920
The highlight is undoubtedly
63
00:03:15,977 --> 00:03:17,901
the sheer variety
of cats to be found.
64
00:03:18,358 --> 00:03:20,430
From fluffy cats
and grumpy cats
65
00:03:20,790 --> 00:03:22,464
to cats with stumpy legs.
66
00:03:22,653 --> 00:03:25,093
It's like cat tapas.
67
00:03:25,987 --> 00:03:28,363
This is the shy one that
I saw a poster about.
68
00:03:29,279 --> 00:03:31,288
And he's very long,
69
00:03:31,958 --> 00:03:33,333
he's like a sausage cat.
70
00:03:35,487 --> 00:03:36,591
What's he looking at?
71
00:03:36,736 --> 00:03:38,304
There's genuinely nothing
round there,
72
00:03:38,363 --> 00:03:40,993
he's just having fun looking
around the corner of the door.
73
00:03:47,518 --> 00:03:50,055
This one has just been sat
here for the last 20 minutes
74
00:03:50,229 --> 00:03:53,291
just drinking this water
from this pink bowl.
75
00:03:56,758 --> 00:03:59,290
To the untrained eye
it's merely a light.
76
00:03:59,429 --> 00:04:00,709
If you come around here,
77
00:04:01,302 --> 00:04:03,964
there's actually a cat
sleeping up there on the light.
78
00:04:05,903 --> 00:04:06,912
Oh my God.
79
00:04:07,085 --> 00:04:08,118
How did he get up there?
80
00:04:09,095 --> 00:04:10,476
There's no easy way to get up.
81
00:04:13,921 --> 00:04:14,935
Oh...
82
00:04:15,197 --> 00:04:16,938
I think this might be
one of the cats to avoid.
83
00:04:18,284 --> 00:04:20,257
On the sign
at the front it said
84
00:04:20,280 --> 00:04:22,056
"Don't touch these four cats."
85
00:04:22,701 --> 00:04:24,825
Because they don't like people,
86
00:04:24,955 --> 00:04:27,214
and they will eat your face.
87
00:04:30,076 --> 00:04:31,730
I'm a bit scared of this one.
88
00:04:31,835 --> 00:04:33,268
And the fact
that he's got a sweater on,
89
00:04:33,974 --> 00:04:35,087
like a gangster cat.
90
00:04:35,709 --> 00:04:37,045
Not all cats are in the mood
91
00:04:37,070 --> 00:04:38,660
to be fondled
by strangers though,
92
00:04:38,806 --> 00:04:39,940
and on the wall of the cafe,
93
00:04:40,051 --> 00:04:42,151
you'll find a profile
of each of the cats,
94
00:04:42,176 --> 00:04:44,869
complete with their name
and personality traits.
95
00:04:45,018 --> 00:04:47,987
Sometimes including a
warning on who to avoid.
96
00:04:48,312 --> 00:04:50,013
After all, no one
wants to walk out
97
00:04:50,038 --> 00:04:52,341
of a cat cafe
without their face.
98
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:54,913
Well, there's
a little warning here.
99
00:04:55,356 --> 00:04:56,744
This cat called Umichan,
100
00:04:57,419 --> 00:04:58,741
"She is so shy cat.
101
00:04:59,159 --> 00:05:00,767
Sometimes
she'll bite your finger.
102
00:05:01,122 --> 00:05:02,349
Please be careful."
103
00:05:03,379 --> 00:05:06,914
The thing is, Umichan, looks
like about four different cats
104
00:05:06,939 --> 00:05:08,186
that I've seen
in this room already,
105
00:05:08,733 --> 00:05:10,547
so I don't know
which one to avoid.
106
00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,160
I probably will get bitten.
107
00:05:13,571 --> 00:05:15,609
I've seen quite a few
different notices
108
00:05:15,786 --> 00:05:17,695
around the place saying
"Avoid this cat."
109
00:05:18,195 --> 00:05:19,482
"Don't feed this cat any food
because
110
00:05:19,482 --> 00:05:20,769
it's got kidney disease."
111
00:05:20,812 --> 00:05:22,141
There's lots
of different descriptions
112
00:05:22,227 --> 00:05:23,605
and disclaimers
around the place.
113
00:05:26,482 --> 00:05:28,569
This is a book of all the cats.
114
00:05:29,323 --> 00:05:30,913
You see pictures of them,
their name,
115
00:05:31,662 --> 00:05:34,366
where they're from,
their birthday.
116
00:05:35,502 --> 00:05:37,079
I think this
is the gangster cat,
117
00:05:38,004 --> 00:05:39,262
and his name is Nats.
118
00:05:39,825 --> 00:05:41,702
Ironic because
he's a little bit nuts.
119
00:05:44,260 --> 00:05:45,266
Whoa!
120
00:05:45,701 --> 00:05:46,716
Did you see that?
121
00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:48,800
This cat's mental.
122
00:05:52,687 --> 00:05:54,670
Cat cafe is maybe ideal
for someone
123
00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,954
with a busy lifestyle
and a cramped apartment.
124
00:05:57,359 --> 00:05:59,263
But what if you really want
to experience cats
125
00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:01,302
in their element
out in the wild,
126
00:06:01,767 --> 00:06:04,161
a place where all the cats
can roam free?
127
00:06:04,512 --> 00:06:07,096
Meow, meow, meow, meow.
128
00:06:11,484 --> 00:06:13,162
Hidden away
off the northeast coast
129
00:06:13,162 --> 00:06:17,278
is a mysterious island home
to hundreds of feral cats.
130
00:06:17,278 --> 00:06:18,813
And my good friend,
Natsuki, and I
131
00:06:18,813 --> 00:06:20,338
have hopped on a boat
to go and explore
132
00:06:20,338 --> 00:06:22,418
the infamous island
of Tashirojima,
133
00:06:22,418 --> 00:06:24,335
and discover its story.
134
00:06:25,904 --> 00:06:29,523
There's a bit of a Jurassic
Park vibe given the fog.
135
00:06:29,523 --> 00:06:32,171
The whole boat
is enshrouded by fog.
136
00:06:32,171 --> 00:06:34,608
Everybody is so happy and
excited to see the dinosaurs,
137
00:06:34,608 --> 00:06:36,762
except the dinosaurs are cats.
138
00:06:38,743 --> 00:06:40,738
Today there are numerous
islands around Japan
139
00:06:40,738 --> 00:06:43,826
that like to refer to
themselves as a cat island.
140
00:06:43,826 --> 00:06:45,329
As many islands have worked out,
141
00:06:45,329 --> 00:06:48,521
it's a brilliant way to bring
in bucket loads of tourists
142
00:06:48,521 --> 00:06:51,773
to places that are typically
completely isolated.
143
00:06:52,725 --> 00:06:55,872
But Tashirojima is considered
to be the original cat island
144
00:06:55,872 --> 00:06:59,427
that initially started this
trend about a decade ago.
145
00:06:59,855 --> 00:07:01,329
And true to its reputation,
146
00:07:01,329 --> 00:07:03,332
no sooner
have we hopped off the boat,
147
00:07:03,332 --> 00:07:04,969
we find ourselves surrounded
148
00:07:04,969 --> 00:07:07,307
by the island's
fluffy inhabitants.
149
00:07:11,529 --> 00:07:14,781
This is quite
a strange, surreal place.
150
00:07:15,411 --> 00:07:18,854
Just a port with dozens of cats.
151
00:07:21,170 --> 00:07:22,652
Just relaxing under the boat.
152
00:07:35,417 --> 00:07:36,864
There's five cats
on the roof here,
153
00:07:37,495 --> 00:07:39,215
and there's some kind
of fight going on,
154
00:07:39,766 --> 00:07:40,869
it's kind of tense.
155
00:07:42,313 --> 00:07:44,103
I've never seen
so many cats on a roof.
156
00:07:46,035 --> 00:07:48,291
It's funny to think
this is someone's house.
157
00:07:50,033 --> 00:07:55,082
And there's like 20 people
around the house.
158
00:07:56,398 --> 00:07:57,903
Just like the cats
which inhabit them,
159
00:07:57,983 --> 00:08:01,512
each island is unique, with
its own history and folktales.
160
00:08:01,588 --> 00:08:03,829
Here, at Tashirojima,
the most popular legend
161
00:08:03,829 --> 00:08:06,334
says that fishermen
brought cats to the island
162
00:08:06,359 --> 00:08:09,078
because they believed they
could predict fishing trends.
163
00:08:10,140 --> 00:08:13,050
Others say that cats were
brought here by silk merchants,
164
00:08:13,075 --> 00:08:15,393
eager to protect their
silk worms from mice.
165
00:08:15,716 --> 00:08:16,992
Whatever the original intent,
166
00:08:16,992 --> 00:08:20,312
the island is now completely
overrun with hundreds of cats,
167
00:08:20,337 --> 00:08:23,978
outnumbering the island's
human population six to one.
168
00:08:24,585 --> 00:08:27,284
In Japanese culture,
cats are considered a symbol
169
00:08:27,382 --> 00:08:28,874
of good fortune and wealth,
170
00:08:28,874 --> 00:08:31,615
and the cats on this island
have certainly promoted it,
171
00:08:31,615 --> 00:08:34,140
resulting in the port
recently being upgraded
172
00:08:34,140 --> 00:08:36,559
to handle the increasing
number of tourists
173
00:08:36,584 --> 00:08:38,707
who flock to the island
every month.
174
00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,520
It is remarkable to think
that the cats have brought
175
00:08:41,524 --> 00:08:45,143
so much economic prosperity
to this remote island.
176
00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,920
It's very elegant, a very
elegant, confident cat.
177
00:08:51,304 --> 00:08:52,471
And beautiful.
178
00:08:55,711 --> 00:08:57,793
It does look like a
blanket with legs on it.
179
00:08:57,793 --> 00:09:01,071
A nice blanket, yeah.
180
00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:07,920
In recent times, Tashirojima
181
00:09:07,925 --> 00:09:10,093
was very close to the epicenter
182
00:09:10,093 --> 00:09:12,453
of the great TÅhoku earthquake
and tsunami
183
00:09:12,453 --> 00:09:16,034
that destroyed much of the
northeast coastline in 2011.
184
00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,240
And although the island
suffered much damage,
185
00:09:18,247 --> 00:09:20,507
some locals credit
the cat's fortune
186
00:09:20,507 --> 00:09:22,677
for protecting the island
from what could've been
187
00:09:22,677 --> 00:09:24,516
far greater devastation.
188
00:09:25,584 --> 00:09:27,537
Metal poles
across the island indicate
189
00:09:27,537 --> 00:09:30,409
the terrifying height on
which the waves struck
190
00:09:30,409 --> 00:09:31,860
on that tragic day.
191
00:09:41,566 --> 00:09:43,406
The idea of cats
bringing good fortune
192
00:09:43,431 --> 00:09:45,945
has long been
a part of Japanese folklore.
193
00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,480
The iconic beckoning cat statue
194
00:09:48,489 --> 00:09:50,504
can be seen
all across the country.
195
00:09:50,728 --> 00:09:52,326
Known as the maneki-neko,
196
00:09:52,485 --> 00:09:55,023
they're said to bring good luck
and fortune to merchants,
197
00:09:55,133 --> 00:09:57,559
families and even those
suffering from illness.
198
00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,840
And today, they can be seen
in practically
199
00:10:00,865 --> 00:10:03,428
every store, restaurant
and place of business.
200
00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:05,640
But how did it all start?
201
00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,400
The origins of the maneki-neko
statue aren't clear,
202
00:10:08,408 --> 00:10:11,247
but one popular legend holds
that they can be traced back
203
00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:13,632
several hundred years
to this temple.
204
00:10:14,353 --> 00:10:15,534
According to the tale,
205
00:10:15,534 --> 00:10:17,945
a feudal lord was passing
by the temple one day
206
00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,142
when he saw a lone cat
beckoning him inside.
207
00:10:21,167 --> 00:10:22,323
The lord entered the temple,
208
00:10:22,323 --> 00:10:25,495
and in doing so avoided
a violent thunderstorm
209
00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:26,621
that suddenly erupted.
210
00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,103
Thankful, the lord
decided to honor the cat.
211
00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:30,303
When it passed away,
212
00:10:30,343 --> 00:10:33,194
he had a shrine built for
it here at the temple.
213
00:10:34,505 --> 00:10:35,622
How many are there?
214
00:10:37,027 --> 00:10:39,490
There must be like 10,000,
I don't know.
215
00:10:40,303 --> 00:10:41,339
There's so many
216
00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:43,085
of different sizes,
217
00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:44,687
and they're all
doing the same pose.
218
00:10:45,030 --> 00:10:46,380
It's actually kind of creepy.
219
00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:48,600
But awesome.
220
00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,840
Another folktale about the
origins of the beckoning cat
221
00:10:51,846 --> 00:10:53,827
says that
an impoverished store owner
222
00:10:53,827 --> 00:10:56,478
took in a stray cat one
day and out of gratitude,
223
00:10:56,478 --> 00:10:59,027
the cat started waving in
new customers,
224
00:10:59,175 --> 00:11:01,579
bringing great prosperity
to the business.
225
00:11:02,574 --> 00:11:04,318
Whether you choose to
believe the beckoning cat
226
00:11:04,343 --> 00:11:07,323
was an ancient weatherman
or a brilliant salesman,
227
00:11:07,323 --> 00:11:09,407
the maneki-neko stands
as Japan's
228
00:11:09,407 --> 00:11:12,202
undisputed symbol of
good luck and fortune.
229
00:11:14,050 --> 00:11:15,460
Spot the odd cat out?
230
00:11:17,238 --> 00:11:18,300
About a billion cats,
231
00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:19,651
and one with a mustache.
232
00:11:20,983 --> 00:11:22,230
I wonder how this started.
233
00:11:22,230 --> 00:11:23,834
Did someone just put one down,
234
00:11:23,834 --> 00:11:27,574
and then another person
thought, "Yeah, another one,"
235
00:11:28,123 --> 00:11:30,106
and it just got out of control?
236
00:11:31,476 --> 00:11:33,304
There's one back there
with Spanish written on it,
237
00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,960
so I'm guessing it's not
just Japanese people.
238
00:11:39,484 --> 00:11:42,902
I see the maneki-neko statue
several times a day in Japan.
239
00:11:42,902 --> 00:11:44,962
I just assumed they
were being mass produced
240
00:11:44,962 --> 00:11:47,221
in a giant cat mega factory.
241
00:11:47,562 --> 00:11:48,962
But I stumbled across a small,
242
00:11:48,987 --> 00:11:51,962
out of the way shop
which suggests otherwise.
243
00:11:54,572 --> 00:11:57,551
I never knew that a lot of these
maneki-nekos were handmade.
244
00:11:58,619 --> 00:12:00,830
You just assume they all
come off a factory line,
245
00:12:00,855 --> 00:12:03,200
but its nice seeing
them produced like this.
246
00:12:05,033 --> 00:12:06,800
Clearly, a lot of hard work
and passion
247
00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:07,969
goes into making them.
248
00:12:09,158 --> 00:12:12,000
These do look pretty beautiful.
249
00:12:12,776 --> 00:12:15,161
Look at the back, the
detail on the back as well.
250
00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:19,200
The attention to detail
and artwork
251
00:12:19,219 --> 00:12:21,092
on these statues is amazing.
252
00:12:21,092 --> 00:12:22,897
The shelves are filled
with beckoning cats
253
00:12:22,897 --> 00:12:25,471
of all breeds,
styles, and sizes.
254
00:12:25,471 --> 00:12:27,671
Perhaps, best of all,
customers can get
255
00:12:27,671 --> 00:12:30,575
their very own
personalized beckoning cats
256
00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:32,880
modeled in the likeness
of their own pet.
257
00:12:33,917 --> 00:12:35,769
So, you can actually
bring in your own cat,
258
00:12:35,769 --> 00:12:38,518
and have a cast made of it
and have it hand painted.
259
00:12:39,008 --> 00:12:40,964
So, here's a cat
that was brought in here,
260
00:12:41,362 --> 00:12:42,495
and here's the end result.
261
00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:45,526
The maneki-neko statue
isn't just believed
262
00:12:45,551 --> 00:12:47,625
to bring good
financial fortune though.
263
00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,452
It's also believed
to bring happiness
264
00:12:49,452 --> 00:12:51,030
in other areas of your life.
265
00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:53,360
I've learned
of a second cat temple,
266
00:12:53,370 --> 00:12:55,704
one where locals
can pray for good fortune
267
00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,000
in their love life.
268
00:12:57,016 --> 00:12:59,123
But first, a quick bite
and conveniently,
269
00:12:59,123 --> 00:13:02,968
there happens to be a cat
themed cafe two doors down.
270
00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,640
So, there's four different
types of cake here.
271
00:13:08,854 --> 00:13:11,461
They have cheesecake
down at the end,
272
00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,040
chocolate eclair here, a
kind of meringue over here,
273
00:13:15,057 --> 00:13:16,882
and also a cream cake
in the middle.
274
00:13:17,308 --> 00:13:20,519
They've all got little
Cate faces drawn on them.
275
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,237
Just tear off one ear, shall we?
276
00:13:33,121 --> 00:13:34,943
And now, I'm gonna have
to eat the cat's face.
277
00:13:36,187 --> 00:13:37,274
Whoops.
278
00:13:38,779 --> 00:13:41,249
With my morning tea of cat
shaped cakes out of the way,
279
00:13:41,249 --> 00:13:44,192
it's time to visit our
second beckoning cat temple
280
00:13:44,192 --> 00:13:45,676
to see what we can find.
281
00:13:53,951 --> 00:13:55,793
It looks like those are
ping pong table bats,
282
00:13:55,793 --> 00:13:59,863
but these are all wishes
that people have.
283
00:13:59,863 --> 00:14:02,916
Someone wants
to get married here quickly.
284
00:14:02,916 --> 00:14:05,691
She's decided
who she wants to marry,
285
00:14:05,691 --> 00:14:09,051
she knows who, and she wants
good fortune in her marriage.
286
00:14:09,051 --> 00:14:10,356
I feel a bit bad reading these.
287
00:14:10,356 --> 00:14:11,494
Are you supposed to read them?
288
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:13,217
I don't know.
289
00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:14,965
"I want to get married."
290
00:14:15,354 --> 00:14:16,423
"I want a partner."
291
00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:18,139
"This year
I want to get married."
292
00:14:18,538 --> 00:14:19,797
They're all about marriage,
293
00:14:19,797 --> 00:14:20,815
they're all about dating.
294
00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:22,616
This person's
left their Apple ID.
295
00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,720
I don't know if that's
desperation or brilliance, but
296
00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,495
yeah, clearly some people
are going pretty far with this.
297
00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:33,604
I've seen email addresses
as well.
298
00:14:34,573 --> 00:14:36,955
I wonder what the God of
cats thinks about this.
299
00:14:41,513 --> 00:14:42,756
It appears I've stumbled across
300
00:14:42,756 --> 00:14:45,275
some sort of cat temple Tinder.
301
00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,160
Singles looking for good fortune
302
00:14:47,179 --> 00:14:49,134
and happiness in their
love lives come here
303
00:14:49,134 --> 00:14:50,891
to pray and make offerings.
304
00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,633
If that wasn't strange enough,
305
00:14:54,661 --> 00:14:57,721
the large cat statues inside
the shrine give this place
306
00:14:57,721 --> 00:15:01,105
the atmosphere of some
sort of cat obsessed cult.
307
00:15:02,683 --> 00:15:03,932
It's a little bit creepy
actually.
308
00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,853
Because there's four
giant cats waving at me,
309
00:15:08,159 --> 00:15:10,995
and then for no reason there's
a cheeky monkey down there.
310
00:15:12,414 --> 00:15:14,907
These kind of shrines are
supposed to be quite serious
311
00:15:14,969 --> 00:15:17,290
but it's a bit difficult
to take it seriously
312
00:15:17,336 --> 00:15:21,503
when you've got all this
madness staring back at you.
313
00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,360
And then
there's the Buddha statue,
314
00:15:24,584 --> 00:15:27,121
that yellow little Buddha statue
there.
315
00:15:27,954 --> 00:15:29,637
If these temples have
taught me anything though,
316
00:15:29,637 --> 00:15:31,727
it's that the belief in the
power of the beckoning cat
317
00:15:31,727 --> 00:15:34,609
is still very much alive and
well with Japanese culture,
318
00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,540
and if I ever want
to get married,
319
00:15:36,580 --> 00:15:38,575
I should scribble
my email address down
320
00:15:38,575 --> 00:15:40,132
on a ping pong racket,
321
00:15:40,132 --> 00:15:43,956
and pray to a cheeky monkey
surrounded by saluting cats.
322
00:15:44,399 --> 00:15:47,176
Well, I think that's
what I've learned anyway.
323
00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:50,470
What's going on there?
324
00:15:53,638 --> 00:15:55,805
There's like some people
dancing in front of the shrine.
325
00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,380
Oh my lord.
326
00:16:05,795 --> 00:16:07,564
It's creepy, it's like
some sort of cat cult
327
00:16:07,564 --> 00:16:08,984
with the cats in the background.
328
00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:14,600
I find this really hard
to take seriously
329
00:16:14,611 --> 00:16:16,650
because I'm not
a superstitious man,
330
00:16:16,650 --> 00:16:19,292
and then to see them dancing
in front of the cat shrine
331
00:16:21,590 --> 00:16:24,690
doing the most ridiculous dance
I've ever seen in my life.
332
00:16:24,690 --> 00:16:26,370
I can't take it seriously.
333
00:16:29,024 --> 00:16:31,066
Still, if all this cat
superstition
334
00:16:31,118 --> 00:16:32,283
seems hard to believe,
335
00:16:32,312 --> 00:16:34,081
I'm about to have
my beliefs questioned
336
00:16:34,081 --> 00:16:36,403
by one of Japan's
most famous cats.
337
00:16:37,639 --> 00:16:40,584
I'm on my way to a small
town an hour north of Tokyo
338
00:16:40,584 --> 00:16:42,866
to meet a cat
I've read about in the news,
339
00:16:42,866 --> 00:16:45,066
and seen on TV numerous times.
340
00:16:45,091 --> 00:16:47,407
The cat who has allegedly
brought considerable wealth
341
00:16:47,446 --> 00:16:50,779
to the locals, thanks
in part to its lucky eyebrows.
342
00:16:50,926 --> 00:16:52,046
And no, I'm not joking,
343
00:16:52,046 --> 00:16:54,203
these are some pretty
ground breaking eyebrows.
344
00:16:57,482 --> 00:17:00,061
Meet Hachi,
the luckiest cat in Japan.
345
00:17:00,338 --> 00:17:02,427
Hachi works at a tobacco shop,
346
00:17:02,427 --> 00:17:05,019
which also happens to
sell lottery tickets.
347
00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:07,600
The shop has had a string
of jackpot winners,
348
00:17:07,705 --> 00:17:09,742
and many winners
attribute their success
349
00:17:09,742 --> 00:17:12,330
to the good fortune
and presence of Hachi.
350
00:17:13,340 --> 00:17:15,205
This cat has got
quite the reception.
351
00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,381
The cat's called Hachi,
352
00:17:18,421 --> 00:17:20,492
and Hachi
is the number eight in Japanese,
353
00:17:20,492 --> 00:17:22,287
and eight is a lucky number,
354
00:17:22,287 --> 00:17:26,454
so the symbol for eight
in kanji a lucky number,
355
00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,399
and hence the cat is good luck.
356
00:17:30,424 --> 00:17:32,298
And you can see here
how many times
357
00:17:32,298 --> 00:17:34,986
people have won the
lottery in recent times.
358
00:17:35,585 --> 00:17:38,041
According to these signs
outside the front of the shop,
359
00:17:38,041 --> 00:17:41,345
good fortune is exactly
what Hachi has brought.
360
00:17:41,345 --> 00:17:42,622
Well, if not by the winnings,
361
00:17:42,622 --> 00:17:44,825
then certainly by all the
pilgrimages people have made
362
00:17:44,825 --> 00:17:47,361
from around the country
to see the famous cat
363
00:17:47,361 --> 00:17:48,934
with the lucky eyebrows.
364
00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:51,738
I was given the cat
from a friend
365
00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,750
and it had this unique pattern
on its face.
366
00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:01,200
I knew the lady who
runs the tobacco store
367
00:18:01,225 --> 00:18:04,335
and because I'm not around
during the day,
368
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,056
I asked her to take care
of my cat.
369
00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:13,520
Little by little, word of Hachi
and her unusual color spread
370
00:18:13,634 --> 00:18:16,775
and she became very popular.
371
00:18:18,708 --> 00:18:20,975
In Japanese,
this pattern resembles
372
00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,960
the character for
the number eight,
373
00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:28,102
which is said to be
a lucky number.
374
00:18:29,233 --> 00:18:31,405
This is a list of people
who have won recently.
375
00:18:31,767 --> 00:18:34,577
And you can see here someone
has won 14 million yen.
376
00:18:35,038 --> 00:18:37,321
It says here,
377
00:18:37,828 --> 00:18:39,407
"The next winner could be you."
378
00:18:40,764 --> 00:18:42,852
He did have quite the
audience a few minutes ago.
379
00:18:42,852 --> 00:18:44,297
There were about
half a dozen people
380
00:18:44,297 --> 00:18:46,062
standing here taking pictures,
381
00:18:46,062 --> 00:18:48,558
but clearly he got a bit tired,
382
00:18:48,558 --> 00:18:50,493
and decided to go back in now.
383
00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,560
It's not easy being a cat
working at a tobacco store.
384
00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,928
Hachi may be
the luckiest cat in Japan,
385
00:18:58,959 --> 00:19:01,571
but by no means
the only cat with a job.
386
00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,400
Unlike the lazy cats
we have in the west,
387
00:19:04,439 --> 00:19:07,615
it seems some Japanese
cats aren't satisfied
388
00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:09,135
with simply
lying about the house
389
00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:10,894
knocking photos off the shelves.
390
00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:13,513
Some of them
like to earn a living.
391
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,895
The most unusual case
I've heard about
392
00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,655
comes from a small train station
393
00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,680
in a rural town in East Japan.
394
00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:21,880
Naturally,
when I first heard about
395
00:19:21,884 --> 00:19:23,835
a train station run by a cat,
396
00:19:23,835 --> 00:19:25,969
I assumed my ears were broken.
397
00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,680
Fortunately, it turned out
they weren't.
398
00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,415
This is actually
a normal, regular train
399
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,040
that people catch everyday to
go to work, to go to school.
400
00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,260
When it feels like
something out of Disneyland.
401
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,735
There's cat things everywhere.
402
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,620
There's Doraemon, arguably
Japan's most famous
403
00:19:47,645 --> 00:19:48,760
cat character here.
404
00:19:50,474 --> 00:19:51,495
It's locked.
405
00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:53,640
There's a cat library,
cat books here.
406
00:19:55,726 --> 00:19:56,939
Don't know what that is.
407
00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:00,375
"I've studied many philosophers,
408
00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,430
many cats, the wisdom of
cats is infinitely superior."
409
00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:05,600
It's the premise of this book.
410
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,520
"Everything I know about
life I learned from my cat."
411
00:20:09,610 --> 00:20:11,860
When I heard
it was a cat themed train,
412
00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,560
I just pictured some stickers
on the wall or something.
413
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,292
I didn't think the whole
interior would feel like,
414
00:20:18,253 --> 00:20:19,301
well, like this.
415
00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,520
A library, some cabinets,
416
00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,253
and special sofas built into it.
417
00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,625
Right, this is
a genuine cat themed train.
418
00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,360
This cat themed train is
a spectacle in itself.
419
00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,615
We're riding it to Kishi
Station in Wakayama Prefecture
420
00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:39,960
to meet the cat train
station master,
421
00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,280
and find out what led
the locals to convert
422
00:20:42,286 --> 00:20:45,837
a standard train into a
cat themed wonderland.
423
00:20:49,789 --> 00:20:50,817
Wow.
424
00:20:51,961 --> 00:20:54,814
Nitama, the station master cat.
425
00:20:57,360 --> 00:20:59,400
And it's got quite the audience.
426
00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,680
There's about a dozen
people surrounding the cat,
427
00:21:03,698 --> 00:21:04,920
and taking pictures.
428
00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,680
It's looks completely oblivious
to everyone standing here.
429
00:21:10,085 --> 00:21:13,964
It just doesn't care.
430
00:21:16,020 --> 00:21:19,222
It says here,
on 22nd of June, 2015,
431
00:21:19,222 --> 00:21:21,935
Tama passed away
and became an honorable
432
00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,320
eternal station master.
433
00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,080
So, the cat
is still here in spirit.
434
00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,655
Because that's not enough to
contribute to the economy,
435
00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:31,600
they've got a second cat,
Nitama, here.
436
00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:35,151
Apparently, the cats
have contributed
437
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,695
over 10 million dollars
to the local economy
438
00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,849
just by sheer number of
tourists coming here.
439
00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,777
It also says here that Nitama
has regular working hours
440
00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:46,777
like other employees.
441
00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,762
She usually works except
for Wednesday and Thursday
442
00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:52,355
because that's her day off.
443
00:21:53,684 --> 00:21:57,455
In the past, Kishi Station was
a small unremarkable station
444
00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,288
out here in rural Japan.
445
00:21:59,718 --> 00:22:01,535
But since the induction of Tama,
446
00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:03,295
the original station master cat,
447
00:22:03,413 --> 00:22:05,413
and her successor, Nitama,
448
00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,494
both the station and the
local economy have flourished.
449
00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,960
Once again, cats hare bringing
good fortune to their owners.
450
00:22:11,971 --> 00:22:13,427
Maybe there is something to this
451
00:22:13,427 --> 00:22:15,844
good luck cat idea after all.
452
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,513
So, they brought the cat
out, put a hat on it,
453
00:22:22,247 --> 00:22:24,295
and about 50 people just
magically appeared
454
00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:25,989
out of nowhere,
there was no one here.
455
00:22:26,333 --> 00:22:29,598
And now, many,
many pictures being taken.
456
00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:32,551
I just love
how the cat's so oblivious.
457
00:22:32,867 --> 00:22:34,997
The cat's just like,
"What is going on?"
458
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:36,867
I love the hat.
459
00:22:37,850 --> 00:22:40,195
I think all cats
should have a hat,
460
00:22:40,195 --> 00:22:42,640
and look, it just fits
perfectly, it looks wonderful.
461
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:44,760
He's a rather dashing cat.
462
00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:46,960
The cat seems to like it.
463
00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,600
It's remarkable,
all you've you gotta do:
464
00:22:54,635 --> 00:22:58,527
stick a tiny hat on a cat...
465
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,360
This is the result.
466
00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:03,960
If there's anyone
in Detroit watching,
467
00:23:03,980 --> 00:23:05,850
your city
crumbling in on itself,
468
00:23:06,459 --> 00:23:09,193
get some cats and just have
them run around Detroit,
469
00:23:09,219 --> 00:23:11,420
stick some hats on them,
people will come.
470
00:23:11,420 --> 00:23:12,930
The economy will go back up.
471
00:23:18,664 --> 00:23:20,475
Nitama is the second cat
to be named
472
00:23:20,475 --> 00:23:22,572
the station master of Kishi.
473
00:23:22,893 --> 00:23:25,245
Sadly, Tama,
the first station master,
474
00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,640
passed away in 2015.
475
00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:29,840
And locals now
come to the station
476
00:23:29,851 --> 00:23:31,684
to pay their respects.
477
00:23:33,182 --> 00:23:34,622
When Tama passed away,
478
00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:37,042
3,000 people turned up
for the funeral
479
00:23:37,067 --> 00:23:39,270
when it was a traditional
Japanese funeral,
480
00:23:39,270 --> 00:23:41,709
it was a big deal
and this is the shrine.
481
00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:47,977
The cat is now an honorable
goddess of the station,
482
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,540
and now you can come here
and pray to her
483
00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:54,182
whilst watching out
for wasps and bees.
484
00:23:56,500 --> 00:23:57,579
Lovely.
485
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,640
After seeing
the impressive wealth
486
00:24:03,642 --> 00:24:05,956
a few cats have brought
not just to individuals,
487
00:24:05,956 --> 00:24:07,982
but to entire local economies,
488
00:24:07,982 --> 00:24:10,455
and country side towns,
and remote islands.
489
00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,200
I'm starting to think
I need to buy
490
00:24:12,215 --> 00:24:13,887
some cats for myself.
491
00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:16,415
And what better place
for me to sit and reflect
492
00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,796
on some sort of cutting edge
business plan
493
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,280
then at a cat pub,
494
00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,952
a Japanese businessman's
equivalent to a cat cafe.
495
00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,135
So, this is a cat izakaya.
496
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,335
It says here,
497
00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,643
so, "A place where you
can play with cats."
498
00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:35,666
But it's also a pub.
499
00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:37,510
Let's go and check it out.
500
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,028
And there's quite a lot
of cats on the door.
501
00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:43,403
So, that's a giveaway.
502
00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,440
There's a cat on top of
the stairs welcoming us.
503
00:24:58,440 --> 00:24:59,815
Even the cats at the pub
504
00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,615
look like they've lapped
up a few pints of sake,
505
00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,415
slumped over
the chairs at the bar,
506
00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,120
presumably after
a hard day at work.
507
00:25:12,487 --> 00:25:14,036
It's certainly a much
more relaxing atmosphere
508
00:25:14,036 --> 00:25:15,369
than a cat cafe.
509
00:25:22,967 --> 00:25:26,877
It feels a bit weird sitting
at a bar with your beer,
510
00:25:26,877 --> 00:25:28,444
and half a dozen cats
around you.
511
00:25:29,541 --> 00:25:30,576
I like it though.
512
00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:31,750
They've got their biscuits,
513
00:25:31,782 --> 00:25:32,990
I've got my nuts.
514
00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:34,174
Everyone's a winner.
515
00:25:34,174 --> 00:25:35,634
A standard Friday night.
516
00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,320
Beer on tap,
shattered businessmen,
517
00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,158
and an abundance of cats
all in one room.
518
00:25:42,533 --> 00:25:44,392
What could possibly go wrong?
519
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,395
Customers sit here drinking
520
00:25:48,420 --> 00:25:52,099
and a cat will walk by
and step in their drink.
521
00:25:52,491 --> 00:25:53,598
Oh no.
522
00:25:54,856 --> 00:25:57,455
So apparently, sometimes the
customers are sitting here
523
00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:58,880
drinking their beer,
the cat comes along,
524
00:25:58,898 --> 00:26:01,495
and accidentally sticks
its paw in the drink,
525
00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:02,648
and then walks off,
526
00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,102
so they have to throw the
drink away and start again.
527
00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,610
It's not easy
running a cat pub.
528
00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,360
So, why did you start
having all the cats here?
529
00:26:13,378 --> 00:26:15,218
What was your reason
for having the cats
530
00:26:15,218 --> 00:26:16,522
here in the first place?
531
00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,680
I opened this bar
around six years ago
532
00:26:19,763 --> 00:26:21,830
but not so many customers came.
533
00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:24,684
But there was one customer
534
00:26:24,724 --> 00:26:27,635
whose cat had
a litter of kittens.
535
00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,400
The customer didn't know what to
do with them
536
00:26:30,461 --> 00:26:32,789
so I offered to adopt them,
537
00:26:32,821 --> 00:26:35,421
and the number of cats
grew from there.
538
00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:40,160
Just like all izakayas,
this one serves food.
539
00:26:40,162 --> 00:26:43,859
So, for relaxing times,
make it Suntory time.
540
00:26:43,859 --> 00:26:47,260
Oh, and throw in a cat
faced pasta along the way.
541
00:26:48,796 --> 00:26:51,895
Yeah, it's a little bit
weird to drink alcohol
542
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,200
in the presence of many
many cats like this.
543
00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,860
Having a drink
and playing with a cat.
544
00:27:01,446 --> 00:27:03,204
Two things that go hand in hand.
545
00:27:09,672 --> 00:27:12,135
Cats in a bar actually
makes a lot more sense
546
00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:13,160
than I expected.
547
00:27:13,198 --> 00:27:14,248
For the lonely drinker,
548
00:27:14,248 --> 00:27:17,140
they prove to be ideal
company and entertainment
549
00:27:17,140 --> 00:27:18,452
all rolled into one.
550
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:24,958
Just doing a bit of research
551
00:27:24,983 --> 00:27:27,142
on weird cat stuff in Japan,
552
00:27:27,593 --> 00:27:28,982
and I found this cat
that regularly
553
00:27:28,982 --> 00:27:31,147
rides the train through Tokyo,
554
00:27:31,147 --> 00:27:33,824
and sits with the passengers.
555
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:35,935
I'd quite like to try
and track this cat down,
556
00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,975
but it's on the Ikebukuro line,
557
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,665
and Ikebukuro has the fifth
biggest station in the world,
558
00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,320
so... still you never
know your luck, one day.
559
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,775
Finding this elusive commuter
cat would be near impossible
560
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,560
given the sheer size of
Tokyo's train network.
561
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:54,440
But fortunately,
cats can also be found
562
00:27:54,454 --> 00:27:57,347
in a few other obscure
public places.
563
00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,120
One such place is Hibiya Park,
564
00:28:00,167 --> 00:28:02,951
located right next to
the Imperial Palace.
565
00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,440
I've heard it has
a reputation of being
566
00:28:07,474 --> 00:28:09,691
something
of an unofficial cat park
567
00:28:09,691 --> 00:28:12,986
due the the numerous feral
cats that call it home.
568
00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,455
Cat lazying around over
there behind the roses.
569
00:28:18,001 --> 00:28:19,741
I thought it was a pile of sand,
570
00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,711
but nope, it is a cat.
571
00:28:26,131 --> 00:28:29,130
Spotting cats in this massive
park can be quite tricky.
572
00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:30,975
There isn't
an abundance of them,
573
00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,495
but with some persistence
and a bit of luck,
574
00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,152
cat sightings
are certainly possible.
575
00:28:40,062 --> 00:28:41,535
Similar to Hibiya Park,
576
00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,015
a large cemetery
in suburban Tokyo
577
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,375
has been nicknamed
the cat cemetery
578
00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,647
on account of its
numerous strays.
579
00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:55,160
I must admit,
I wasn't optimistic
580
00:28:55,169 --> 00:28:56,640
we were gonna find cats here,
581
00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,360
and we walked straight in and
the first two minutes, a cat.
582
00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:02,996
This lovely cat shows up.
583
00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:15,735
The tight spaces
and concrete sprawl
584
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:17,295
of this massive graveyard,
585
00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,320
make for the ideal playground
for the feral cats.
586
00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:27,163
It's like a game
of hide and seek.
587
00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,655
He... pops up and goes, "Meow!"
588
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,680
And then runs away and
hides around the corner.
589
00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:33,851
And then meows again,
and looks at me.
590
00:29:33,999 --> 00:29:35,709
Like that.
591
00:29:38,063 --> 00:29:39,523
Moving onto his next spot.
592
00:29:45,250 --> 00:29:46,250
Oh!
593
00:29:47,146 --> 00:29:49,148
It's getting heated.
594
00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:51,280
Awe, it's gonna be a fight.
595
00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,535
These two cats seem to have
some sort of little gang going,
596
00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:56,560
and this one's
not invited to the party.
597
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,120
I feel sorry for this black cat.
598
00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,033
He's been very much excluded.
599
00:30:03,072 --> 00:30:05,735
The other two cats seems
to be sort of best friends.
600
00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,877
This cat has to
keep his distance,
601
00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,720
and you know, I feel a
little bit sympathetic.
602
00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:13,694
It reminds me
of my old school days.
603
00:30:15,521 --> 00:30:17,130
Ew!
604
00:30:20,862 --> 00:30:21,918
Oh no.
605
00:30:21,943 --> 00:30:22,958
I was leaning on that,
606
00:30:22,983 --> 00:30:25,273
and then I looked down and
there's like 20 red ants.
607
00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,360
A cat cemetery
may not be overrun,
608
00:30:33,368 --> 00:30:35,474
but it's not difficult
to stumble across them
609
00:30:35,474 --> 00:30:36,753
whilst strolling around.
610
00:30:39,336 --> 00:30:41,569
The cemetery
also backs onto a district
611
00:30:41,569 --> 00:30:44,895
called Yanaka Ginza,
where supposedly,
612
00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:46,800
the locals are very cat friendly
613
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,840
adopting a few strays
as community mascots,
614
00:30:49,847 --> 00:30:52,165
and building shelters
and litter boxes
615
00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,000
throughout the street.
616
00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,400
So, this is Yanaka Ginza
suburb or street,
617
00:30:59,417 --> 00:31:02,777
and apparently, again, it's
got a famous reputation
618
00:31:02,777 --> 00:31:04,750
for being a cat friendly
neighborhood,
619
00:31:05,264 --> 00:31:06,968
and it's right next to
the cemetery,
620
00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,415
so I'm guessing it lives
up to its reputation
621
00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,080
especially as we've already seen
one cat
622
00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,160
just relaxing at the side
of the street a minute ago.
623
00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,000
We've got two
statues of cats here
624
00:31:17,014 --> 00:31:21,181
next to this big giant ice
cream cone, the beckoning cat.
625
00:31:22,778 --> 00:31:24,212
There's a lot of cat symbols,
626
00:31:24,212 --> 00:31:25,867
and statues and things.
627
00:31:25,867 --> 00:31:27,484
There's a cat
on the roof up there.
628
00:31:28,077 --> 00:31:30,279
I thought it was real
out the corner of my eye,
629
00:31:30,279 --> 00:31:33,156
but no, it's not real.
630
00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,774
It's rather terrifying
as well.
631
00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:40,200
As the day moves on,
632
00:31:40,224 --> 00:31:42,215
and more and more
shoppers arrive,
633
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:43,720
the neighborhood comes alive
634
00:31:43,737 --> 00:31:45,953
with all manner
of cat appreciation.
635
00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,750
Cat merchandise, cat
statues, cat shaped food.
636
00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:52,840
You can hardly move
down the street
637
00:31:52,856 --> 00:31:56,199
without bumping into something
with a cat stuck on it.
638
00:32:07,557 --> 00:32:09,638
A lot of savvy business
owners in Japan
639
00:32:09,638 --> 00:32:12,190
have seen the marketing
appeal of cats.
640
00:32:12,612 --> 00:32:14,509
Need to draw
some customers to your pub?
641
00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:16,093
Add some cats.
642
00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,775
Want instant tourism for
a small rural community?
643
00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,452
Put a hat on a cat
and make her the boss.
644
00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,175
There's even a politician
who nominated
645
00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:26,775
a cat as his running mate.
646
00:32:27,666 --> 00:32:30,455
But for the owner of this
bookstore in Central Tokyo,
647
00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,595
adding a cat or two
wasn't enough.
648
00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,815
So, he decided to
overhaul his entire store
649
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,680
selling nothing
but cat related books.
650
00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:40,440
What a way to stand out.
651
00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:42,770
This is a famous cat.
652
00:32:43,567 --> 00:32:45,172
He blows bubbles
out of his nose.
653
00:32:49,512 --> 00:32:53,495
To say that there's a lot of
cat related books and products
654
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:54,920
is quite the understatement.
655
00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:56,760
There's a ridiculous amount.
656
00:32:57,526 --> 00:32:58,849
The Islands of Greece.
657
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:04,200
And it's just the Islands of
Greece with lots of cats in.
658
00:33:07,026 --> 00:33:08,864
Everything from cat
coloring books
659
00:33:08,864 --> 00:33:12,415
to philosophy
as interpreted by cats.
660
00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,815
How the owner managed
to fill an entire store
661
00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,735
with this just cat related
books is remarkable.
662
00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,015
If cat enthusiasts had a heaven,
663
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:21,800
this would be its library.
664
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,622
This book sums up Japan's
cat obsession rather well.
665
00:33:27,607 --> 00:33:30,279
It's got all the data on the
most popular types of cats.
666
00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:35,151
It's even got a section on the
different types of cat legs
667
00:33:35,651 --> 00:33:38,025
just in case you ever
needed to know that.
668
00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,629
Different types of cat smile.
669
00:33:44,410 --> 00:33:47,157
This is a book about cats in
funny positions and places.
670
00:33:47,923 --> 00:33:49,109
Let's see.
671
00:33:49,594 --> 00:33:51,407
It's like Mission
Impossible cat.
672
00:33:52,762 --> 00:33:55,594
Surprisingly, or
unsurprisingly, to be honest,
673
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,055
I'm not sure which,
674
00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,615
converting the entire
store to cat only books
675
00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:01,560
has increased it's popularity.
676
00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,800
The cat's good fortune
has struck again.
677
00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,741
I've had this store
for about 35 years.
678
00:34:08,783 --> 00:34:11,823
It seems the younger generation
679
00:34:11,848 --> 00:34:13,618
doesn't read books anymore.
680
00:34:13,643 --> 00:34:15,862
So to combat this,
681
00:34:15,887 --> 00:34:18,353
I converted
what was a regular book store
682
00:34:18,378 --> 00:34:21,275
into a cat book store.
683
00:34:21,315 --> 00:34:25,398
Since then, I've seen
a steady increase in customers.
684
00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:29,574
This is the most popular
kind of book they sell here.
685
00:34:30,121 --> 00:34:32,323
It's cats wearing
different items
686
00:34:32,323 --> 00:34:34,568
or just like in these
really funny situations
687
00:34:34,568 --> 00:34:37,121
where it looks like they're
having an amazing time.
688
00:34:38,278 --> 00:34:41,528
"Don't expect a lucky break
to just fall from the sky,"
689
00:34:42,051 --> 00:34:43,167
and the cat's looking up.
690
00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:46,320
"To think as if
the reverse is true."
691
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:50,440
"Negativity prohibited."
692
00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:53,000
They're sayings,
everyday sayings,
693
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,040
with the cat acting it out.
694
00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,160
"The longer you wait,
the better it tastes."
695
00:34:58,406 --> 00:35:01,289
I like that one.
696
00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:10,520
It has become apparent
that cats can be found
697
00:35:10,530 --> 00:35:12,924
in some pretty
unconventional places.
698
00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,135
But this next place is surely
near the top of the list.
699
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:18,255
I'm going in search
of a business,
700
00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:20,815
which utilizes
the presence of cats
701
00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:22,720
to boost staff morale,
702
00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,650
and create a fun, friendly
office environment.
703
00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:29,320
But can cats in an
office space really work?
704
00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:34,415
This is the office
of Ferray Corporation,
705
00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:36,055
an e-commerce company.
706
00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,015
Here in this place of business,
707
00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:40,055
cats are allowed to roam free,
708
00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,775
pouncing on computer mice,
strolling across keyboards,
709
00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:47,195
and of course, nibbling their
way through computer cables.
710
00:35:47,969 --> 00:35:50,550
But what happens when
the male and female cats
711
00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:53,120
start to look at each
other longingly?
712
00:35:53,130 --> 00:35:56,142
To stop the cats from completely
tearing the office apart
713
00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,456
some precautions have been made.
714
00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:00,920
The female cats are upstairs
715
00:36:00,934 --> 00:36:02,914
and the male cats
are downstairs.
716
00:36:02,939 --> 00:36:05,553
The male and female cats
don't get along
717
00:36:05,578 --> 00:36:07,306
so we keep them separate.
718
00:36:08,826 --> 00:36:10,826
So, the cats in the office
have different owners,
719
00:36:10,851 --> 00:36:12,926
so the staff can bring
their cats here.
720
00:36:13,865 --> 00:36:16,299
So, the cats aren't all
owned by the office.
721
00:36:16,365 --> 00:36:18,656
It's staff coming and
bringing their cats to work.
722
00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:21,280
So, what was your thinking
723
00:36:21,386 --> 00:36:23,533
behind having
cats in the office?
724
00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:27,099
We've had cats
from the very beginning
725
00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:30,141
and the number of cats
has kept growing.
726
00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:33,400
We work with computers every day
727
00:36:33,435 --> 00:36:36,084
and the staff
all keep to themselves
728
00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:40,185
but having the cats creates
conversation in the office.
729
00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:44,055
Do you ever find
cats get in the way
730
00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:46,627
and disrupt work in the office?
731
00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:48,560
Sometimes a cat will
732
00:36:48,605 --> 00:36:51,027
cut off a customer's phone call
733
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:55,035
or meow during a conversation,
734
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:57,834
and the cats frequently stomp
on keyboards.
735
00:37:05,350 --> 00:37:06,882
It's not all good having
cats in your office.
736
00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:08,798
These ear phones
737
00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:11,582
Have met their demise.
738
00:37:12,595 --> 00:37:14,595
At the hands of one of the cats.
739
00:37:16,533 --> 00:37:20,055
So, these bits of plastic
here on top of the computers
740
00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:22,440
are to stop cats from
treading on the power buttons.
741
00:37:22,915 --> 00:37:24,771
Apparently cats
were just coming over,
742
00:37:24,771 --> 00:37:26,587
and just standing
on all the buttons.
743
00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,575
The cats help
to create a casual,
744
00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,640
stress free environment
for the staff,
745
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:33,615
which is quite a change
from the usual
746
00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:36,655
high pressure office
environments found in Japan.
747
00:37:37,233 --> 00:37:39,223
Plus, it's certainly
a great way for owners
748
00:37:39,223 --> 00:37:42,627
who work long hours to spend
more time with their cats.
749
00:37:43,822 --> 00:37:45,980
But how to get them
safely to and from work
750
00:37:45,980 --> 00:37:48,265
on the world's
busiest subway trains?
751
00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:51,255
Well, say hello
to the custom made
752
00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:53,486
urban cat transportation device.
753
00:37:56,923 --> 00:37:58,099
Oh, I like this.
754
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:00,883
Very stylish.
755
00:38:02,771 --> 00:38:05,169
So, he's going home for the day,
756
00:38:06,154 --> 00:38:08,155
and taking the cat
with him in style.
757
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,008
I've never seen
a bag quite like it.
758
00:38:13,664 --> 00:38:15,081
Cat themed merchandise
can be found
759
00:38:15,106 --> 00:38:17,495
at many retail stores
across Japan
760
00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,480
although usually, it's limited
to stationary and clothing.
761
00:38:20,481 --> 00:38:23,975
Although, specialized cat
products like the cat carry bag
762
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:25,640
are available
if you look hard enough.
763
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:27,800
But some gift stores have taken
764
00:38:27,811 --> 00:38:30,139
their love of cat products
to new heights.
765
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:34,615
What's this?
766
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:35,688
Whoa.
767
00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:39,849
Oh.
768
00:38:42,646 --> 00:38:44,668
It makes different noises
depending on where you touch it.
769
00:38:44,668 --> 00:38:46,844
This was the purring.
770
00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:51,668
What the hell was that?
771
00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:56,875
Cat crockery,
cat mugs, cat spoons,
772
00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,902
cat dolls, cat glasses,
773
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,000
cat plates, cat posters,
cat stationary,
774
00:39:04,013 --> 00:39:06,488
cat fans, cat everything.
775
00:39:07,852 --> 00:39:11,680
This specialty cat store sells
nothing but cat themed products
776
00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,735
and here you can find
practically every household item
777
00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:17,640
to satisfy your cat's obsession.
778
00:39:19,756 --> 00:39:21,185
Cat calendar.
779
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:22,815
Cat chopsticks.
780
00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:23,888
Cat pocket watch.
781
00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:25,250
Cat umbrellas.
782
00:39:25,455 --> 00:39:26,495
Cat bag.
783
00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:28,490
And of course, cat socks.
784
00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:32,055
So, what do you think
is your most strange
785
00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,200
or unique item that you sell?
786
00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:38,117
This is an incense
made from silver vine.
787
00:39:38,153 --> 00:39:40,960
When your cat smells it,
788
00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:44,070
it will be as if it's drunk.
789
00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:46,120
Wow, so it's like
the cat is drunk
790
00:39:46,124 --> 00:39:48,628
when it smells
this stuff.
791
00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:51,370
Wow, is it popular
with customers?
792
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:55,378
Recently it's started
to become quite popular.
793
00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:58,375
This store is the one stop shop
794
00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,033
for all things cat related,
795
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,935
but what motivated the
owner to open a store
796
00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:05,822
with such a variety of unique
and niche cat products?
797
00:40:07,224 --> 00:40:09,391
I have a few friends who collect
798
00:40:09,416 --> 00:40:12,415
this sort of cat merchandise.
799
00:40:12,457 --> 00:40:15,025
They have to go
to several different stores
800
00:40:15,050 --> 00:40:17,887
and it takes them a lot of time.
801
00:40:17,912 --> 00:40:21,414
So I thought if I gather
everything into one store
802
00:40:21,439 --> 00:40:24,782
they can come here
and get a whole range of things.
803
00:40:25,172 --> 00:40:27,912
So I think this store
makes it a lot easier
804
00:40:27,937 --> 00:40:30,735
for the cat lover.
805
00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:33,305
So I started this store.
806
00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:37,175
I've come across some pretty
odd and quirky products
807
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,895
in this store, however,
I've just gotten my hands
808
00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:42,535
on a rather unusual product
that takes ridiculous
809
00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:43,814
to a whole new level.
810
00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,028
This is cat wine,
811
00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:50,607
Nyan Nyan Nouveau.
812
00:40:51,182 --> 00:40:52,495
I'm not making this up either.
813
00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:53,695
This is actually cat wine
814
00:40:53,720 --> 00:40:57,575
because a lot of people in
Japan come home after a long day
815
00:40:57,600 --> 00:40:59,080
sit there
and drink their wine alone,
816
00:40:59,094 --> 00:41:01,016
but what if you could drink
with your cat as well.
817
00:41:01,555 --> 00:41:04,242
That is the premise behind
Nyan Nyan Nouveau wine.
818
00:41:05,610 --> 00:41:07,400
Look, there you go,
there's two cats there.
819
00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:08,852
Is that a cat and a dog?
820
00:41:10,172 --> 00:41:11,852
I don't know if it's just
cats who can drink this,
821
00:41:11,877 --> 00:41:12,895
maybe dogs can as well,
822
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:16,655
but... I don't know
if humans can drink it,
823
00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:18,560
I don't even know
what it really looks like,
824
00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:19,791
let's find out.
825
00:41:19,816 --> 00:41:22,080
So... pour that in there.
826
00:41:22,133 --> 00:41:23,187
Oh...
827
00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:28,680
The word appetizing
doesn't spring to mind.
828
00:41:30,313 --> 00:41:31,485
Should we try some?
829
00:41:31,485 --> 00:41:33,766
If the cat can drink it,
I can drink it, why not.
830
00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:43,425
Yeah, don't drink cat wine.
831
00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:44,917
Oh man...
832
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,055
Cats are undoubtedly a huge
part of Japanese pop culture,
833
00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:56,960
as seen with characters such
as Doraemon and Hello Kitty.
834
00:41:57,255 --> 00:41:58,335
I've been told there's an entire
835
00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,415
Hello Kitty themed hotel room
836
00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:02,614
at an upmarket hotel in Tokyo.
837
00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:04,615
And we're off
to see how much detail
838
00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:08,328
has gone into celebrating the
world famous brand first hand.
839
00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:13,210
Just waiting to go into
the Hello Kitty room.
840
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:16,186
It's a bit of a giveaway,
isn't it?
841
00:42:16,882 --> 00:42:18,489
Just to make sure you
know which room it is.
842
00:42:19,483 --> 00:42:21,416
Oh, oh my God.
843
00:42:22,262 --> 00:42:23,310
Oh...
844
00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:26,573
Oh, it's like being
in a nightmare.
845
00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:33,255
With themed trash cans, scales,
846
00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:35,019
toiletries, and water bottles,
847
00:42:35,417 --> 00:42:38,902
there's truly no escaping
Hello Kitty inside the room.
848
00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:42,440
For some, being here
must feel like a dream.
849
00:42:42,628 --> 00:42:44,869
For me,
it's quite disconcerting.
850
00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:49,433
I think one of the reasons
it feels so intense is because
851
00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:52,095
it's not just the walls
that are covered in artwork,
852
00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:54,335
the floor as well
is really colorful,
853
00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:55,720
and there's some artwork there,
854
00:42:55,729 --> 00:42:56,965
and it can be difficult
to work out
855
00:42:56,965 --> 00:42:59,303
where the wall ends and
where the floor begins.
856
00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,193
So, it's all just one
big piece of artwork.
857
00:43:03,576 --> 00:43:05,966
You can see the Keio Plaza
on the wall of the hotel,
858
00:43:05,966 --> 00:43:09,008
and this is like a Tokyo
setting, and- oh wow!
859
00:43:09,815 --> 00:43:12,061
Here you go,
this is a Hello Kitty cake.
860
00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:15,335
Hello Kitty ,
oh my lord,
861
00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:16,600
a Hello Kitty cake.
862
00:43:17,698 --> 00:43:21,293
But one Hello Kitty themed
hotel room simply isn't enough.
863
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:23,815
The hotel has another
for customers
864
00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:26,761
who want to appreciated
their favorite cartoon cat
865
00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:28,575
in an opulent atmosphere,
866
00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:30,535
as opposed to the previous room,
867
00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:33,120
which felt like wandering
into a child's nightmare.
868
00:43:34,553 --> 00:43:37,191
I think I prefer this
one to the other one.
869
00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:38,480
I think I like this room.
870
00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,200
This feels more
like a hotel room.
871
00:43:41,251 --> 00:43:42,290
Yeah, right.
872
00:43:42,315 --> 00:43:44,880
And more like a normal hotel
room that's just pink.
873
00:43:45,706 --> 00:43:46,854
This is quite cool.
874
00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:48,785
That's Princess Kitty there.
875
00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:52,000
I'm particularly
excited about this chair,
876
00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:54,081
this is very cool, isn't it?
877
00:43:55,390 --> 00:43:57,638
So, you also have
Hello Kitty breakfast.
878
00:43:57,880 --> 00:43:59,255
Kitty on omelets.
879
00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:01,805
Oh my God,
Hello Kitty on the omelet.
880
00:44:01,830 --> 00:44:04,729
- And a Hello Kitty sandwich.
- A Hello Kitty sandwich.
881
00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:10,040
Yeah, that's a pretty
thoroughly
882
00:44:10,074 --> 00:44:12,450
Hello Kitty branded
breakfast experience.
883
00:44:12,475 --> 00:44:13,493
yeah.
884
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:18,876
As I mentioned earlier,
885
00:44:18,894 --> 00:44:21,748
Japan is actually home
to several cat islands.
886
00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:23,422
Some are more
well known than others,
887
00:44:23,422 --> 00:44:26,135
and Enoshima is one that's
gotten some attention
888
00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:27,320
for being a cat island.
889
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,855
However, unlike Tashirojima,
this one
890
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,200
can be accessed on foot.
891
00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:38,555
It's a pretty big contrast
to Tashirojima.
892
00:44:39,344 --> 00:44:42,251
The abandoned
Jurassic Park style island.
893
00:44:42,727 --> 00:44:44,501
This is a far cry from that.
894
00:44:44,673 --> 00:44:46,209
This is one of the most
busiest tourist spots
895
00:44:46,209 --> 00:44:47,668
I've ever seen in Japan.
896
00:44:50,191 --> 00:44:52,212
Enoshima is only a short trip
from Tokyo,
897
00:44:52,212 --> 00:44:55,833
which makes it an extremely
popular hot spot for tourists.
898
00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:58,440
With this many people
coming and going though,
899
00:44:58,720 --> 00:45:00,840
it seems like it wouldn't
be idea for cats,
900
00:45:01,165 --> 00:45:04,625
so it's time to console a
giant novelty tourist map.
901
00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:07,540
Cat, cat, cat.
902
00:45:08,381 --> 00:45:10,341
Let's go and see if
there's actually some cats
903
00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:11,680
at that spot on the map.
904
00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:12,889
It's just around the corner.
905
00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:17,545
And up a flight of stairs,
oh my God, up stairs.
906
00:45:19,160 --> 00:45:21,680
The locations on the map lead
me away from the tourists
907
00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:24,196
over to the residential
side of the island,
908
00:45:24,720 --> 00:45:28,135
and sure enough, I've
finally found our first cat
909
00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:31,027
dozing directly underneath
this small shrine.
910
00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:34,677
I've never seen
a cat sit so still.
911
00:45:36,105 --> 00:45:37,239
I don't even know if it's real,
912
00:45:37,239 --> 00:45:38,715
I think it's just a toy.
913
00:45:39,613 --> 00:45:41,555
There's two cats here
relaxing under a tree.
914
00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:43,719
I'm quite curious to see
how many more we can find.
915
00:45:44,555 --> 00:45:47,719
The residential part of
Enoshima is quiet and peaceful,
916
00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:50,102
a stark contrast
to the tourist side.
917
00:45:50,563 --> 00:45:53,175
And as I walk these
gentle tranquil streets,
918
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:55,417
I'm greeted by more
and more cats.
919
00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:59,574
It turns out Enoshima is
indeed a cat island of sorts.
920
00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:03,200
Though very different to the
dense cat chaos of Tashirojima,
921
00:46:03,520 --> 00:46:05,264
it does have its own quiet charm
922
00:46:05,560 --> 00:46:08,342
with cats spread out
across parts of the island.
923
00:46:12,139 --> 00:46:14,060
On a scale of one
to stylish cat,
924
00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:16,480
this is a stylish cat,
look at that mustache.
925
00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:17,696
That is glorious.
926
00:46:18,063 --> 00:46:19,536
I think one
main difference between
927
00:46:19,536 --> 00:46:21,522
Enoshima and Tashirojima,
928
00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:23,895
on Tashirojima
there's cats everywhere,
929
00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:24,993
they're not difficult to find.
930
00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:26,815
You turn a street
and there's half a dozen
931
00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:27,969
cats walking around.
932
00:46:28,455 --> 00:46:30,215
Here on Enoshima, you really
have to search for them,
933
00:46:30,240 --> 00:46:32,280
it's like a cat treasure hunt.
934
00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:34,600
Every time you find one,
you feel like
935
00:46:34,639 --> 00:46:35,710
you've achieved something.
936
00:46:36,219 --> 00:46:38,735
And sometimes
you get a little bonus,
937
00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:40,054
and they've got a mustache.
938
00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,015
Whilst Hello Kitty may
have taken the world by storm,
939
00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:51,920
and become
an international icon,
940
00:46:52,240 --> 00:46:54,055
I'm off to meet
the creator of perhaps,
941
00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:56,372
Japan's most iconic
cat character,
942
00:46:56,544 --> 00:46:58,455
which can be found
all across the country
943
00:46:58,480 --> 00:47:00,927
on merchandise,
posters, and billboards.
944
00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:07,732
Nice to meet you.
945
00:47:09,102 --> 00:47:10,334
And thank you very much
for today.
946
00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:14,215
This is Satoru Tsuda,
947
00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:16,194
the creator of Nameneko.
948
00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:18,560
Though mostly unknown
outside of Japan,
949
00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:22,160
Nameneko was a hugely
popular brand in the 1980s,
950
00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:24,855
and is often credited
with single-handedly
951
00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:27,440
starting cat pop culture
across Japan.
952
00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:29,775
It started when Mr. Tsuda,
953
00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:31,255
a photographer by trade,
954
00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:32,826
began photographing cats
955
00:47:32,851 --> 00:47:34,560
wearing
his partner's doll's clothes.
956
00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:38,760
The unique photos went on to
sell over eight million copies,
957
00:47:38,771 --> 00:47:40,302
and a brand was born.
958
00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:43,466
These are all articles
and magazines,
959
00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:47,295
newspapers where
the cats have appeared.
960
00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:49,800
Smoking.
961
00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:53,898
This is a real picture,
not synthesized.
962
00:47:56,720 --> 00:47:58,000
I think that's
the best thing about it.
963
00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:00,735
It's not... digital
photo manipulation.
964
00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:03,428
Those are actually cats
dressed up.
965
00:48:04,120 --> 00:48:07,194
Ah, there's an advert
for Microsoft.
966
00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,386
So, this is a Japanese
rice cracker...
967
00:48:11,411 --> 00:48:12,732
style product, Senbei.
968
00:48:13,234 --> 00:48:15,366
A lot of people thought
it was for cats
969
00:48:15,814 --> 00:48:17,243
because it looks like pet food,
970
00:48:17,243 --> 00:48:18,588
what with the cat there.
971
00:48:18,985 --> 00:48:20,153
So, on the second edition,
972
00:48:20,153 --> 00:48:23,088
they had to put here,
"It's for humans," so...
973
00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:24,880
just so people
would know.
974
00:48:26,960 --> 00:48:30,921
So, these are specially
designed cat clothes.
975
00:48:32,120 --> 00:48:35,100
They cost, I think,
about $1,500 each,
976
00:48:35,522 --> 00:48:38,295
and they're hand made
to perfection.
977
00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:40,720
They're so detailed
and intricate.
978
00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:42,666
They look better
than human clothes.
979
00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:46,955
That is more expensive
than an Armani suit
980
00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:50,228
because it's tailor made,
uh... for a cat.
981
00:48:52,132 --> 00:48:53,767
It's rather impressive
and surreal.
982
00:48:57,296 --> 00:48:59,295
These images were taken
long before
983
00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:01,000
the arrival of Photoshop.
984
00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:03,255
All of the pictures
are of real cats
985
00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:05,600
with custom made props
and costumes.
986
00:49:05,854 --> 00:49:08,495
But how did a few cats
in upmarket clothes
987
00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:10,880
go on to become
a national sensation?
988
00:49:13,240 --> 00:49:15,868
So, what is the history
of Nameneko?
989
00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:20,600
The Nameneko brand
started in 1980.
990
00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:25,534
It all started when I found
four abandoned kittens.
991
00:49:26,214 --> 00:49:30,669
I opened a discarded
cardboard box and found
992
00:49:30,694 --> 00:49:33,528
the newborns which were so small
993
00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:37,301
that I couldn't even tell
that they were kittens.
994
00:49:37,320 --> 00:49:40,991
I cleaned and dried them off,
995
00:49:41,016 --> 00:49:44,079
and I realized
they were kittens when I saw
996
00:49:44,104 --> 00:49:48,309
their fur fluff up
for the first time.
997
00:49:49,240 --> 00:49:54,080
My partner was designing clothes
for French dolls,
998
00:49:54,720 --> 00:49:58,928
and one day she left them
at my house.
999
00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:03,640
The cats were playing with them
and had damaged them.
1000
00:50:03,681 --> 00:50:07,266
The clothes could
no longer be sold,
1001
00:50:07,291 --> 00:50:10,679
so I dressed the cats up
in the clothes.
1002
00:50:10,704 --> 00:50:14,793
I snapped a few photos,
and when I showed my friends
1003
00:50:14,818 --> 00:50:17,950
they all thought
the cats looked adorable.
1004
00:50:17,975 --> 00:50:21,344
They suggested
I publish these photos,
1005
00:50:21,369 --> 00:50:23,862
and that was the start
of Nameneko.
1006
00:50:29,270 --> 00:50:31,959
With my journey across the
country coming to an end,
1007
00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:34,655
I must say I'm as bewildered
as ever
1008
00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:36,957
by Japan's fascination
with cats.
1009
00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:39,680
Cats with jobs,
cat themed stores,
1010
00:50:39,680 --> 00:50:42,800
and cats in, well, odd places.
1011
00:50:42,941 --> 00:50:47,455
Japan's cat antics are both
intriguing and entertaining,
1012
00:50:47,480 --> 00:50:50,160
and though some may find
it just plain weird,
1013
00:50:50,185 --> 00:50:51,688
one thing is for sure,
1014
00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:55,200
Japan is the cat capital
of the world.
74247
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.