Aoshima Cat Island

Off the coast of Ehime, on Shikoku, sits a speck of an island called Aoshima — and it belongs to the cats. A dwindling handful of human residents share the place with many times their number of free-roaming felines, who gather at the little harbor to greet the ferry as it pulls in.

Why It’s Interesting

There are no shops, no restaurants, no hotels, and no cars. What there is: a quiet fishing village, a working harbor, and cats everywhere — sunning on walls, weaving between your ankles, dozing on overturned boats. It’s the purest version of Japan’s famous “cat islands,” precisely because nothing has been built up around it. You come, you spend a few hours among the cats and the sea air, and you leave on the same small boat.

Best Time to Visit

Any time of year works, but the catch is the ferry: it’s small, it runs on a limited schedule, and rough weather cancels it. Pick a calm day, check the timetable both ways, and don’t gamble on the last boat back.

Getting There

Take the train to Iyo-Nagahama, walk to the port, and ride the short ferry across. Bring your own water, snacks, and anything else you’ll need — the island has none of it. And please treat it gently: real people live here, so leave dogs at home and follow local rules on feeding.