Introduction
Cats have been an integral part of Japanese culture for centuries. They are everywhere in Japan’s rich body of folklore: venerated as deities, decried as pests, feared as vengeful spirits, kept as mice catchers, and adored as pets. What better way to celebrate these wonderful felines than by worshipping them at a shrine or temple?
Prior to researching the subject, my initial impressions were that there wouldn’t be many shrines and temples dedicated to these felines. While there are relatively few in the final accounting — compared to thousands of existing Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples — I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were in fact a few dozen such institutions scattered throughout Japan, particularly in areas that practiced sericulture.
This six-part series introduces all the cat shrines and temples across Japan, excluding those already covered in the Tokyo list. From cat shelters to military time-keeping cats, these places celebrate cats in all their forms. Here is Part 2.
Part 1 A–F: Akita to Fukushima
Part 2 G–K: Gunma to Kagoshima
Part 3 K: Kanagawa to Kyoto
Part 4 M–O: Miyagi to Okayama
Part 5 O–T: Osaka to Tokushima
Part 6 T–Y: Tokushima to Yamaguchi
Gunma
Kaiun-ji Temple
The first place that comes to mind for cat temples is usually Gōtoku-ji Temple in Tokyo — you know, the one with hundreds of maneki-neko figurines on the precincts. Kaiun-ji in Annaka City is a sort of offshoot or branch institution enshrining an incarnation of the Maneki-neko Kannon from the original Tokyo temple.
As a place to visit, it’s somewhat underwhelming compared to its larger Tokyo counterpart, but the pair of maneki-neko statues at the entrance are pretty cute regardless. A little kanji fun: Kaiun-ji Temple is written 海雲寺 or ‘Ocean Cloud Temple,’ but ‘kaiun’ is also a homophone for 開運 or ’good fortune,’ ideal for a lucky cat temple.
Manpuku-ji Temple
Not to be confused with the next temple on this list, Manpuku-ji Temple in Annaka City is a Shingon Buddhist temple dating back to 1435. It was destroyed by fire in 1708 (surprise, surprise) but was rebuilt over the subsequent six years. For much of the Edo period, it functioned more as a training centre for young monks than as a temple with regular parishioners. Notably, the temple took in around 180 evacuated children from Tokyo in April 1945.
Wherefore the cat temple? There isn’t any religious cat lore; it’s entirely down to the temple cats, although there is an animal memorial tower on the grounds for deceased pets. Manpukuji bills itself as a place to appreciate seasonal flowers and temple cats; their Instagram account shows snapshots of an idyllic cat-filled life and lush, verdant grounds with bamboo groves aplenty. If you plan on visiting, this is best paired with a visit to Kaiun-ji Temple above for the full feline experience.
Mantoku-ji Temple
Located in Isezaki City, this is a Shingon Buddhist temple founded during the reign of Emperor Saga (809-823). The legendary monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai) is believed to have visited the area and personally carved the statue of the Holy Kannon at the temple. (Many such acts have been attributed to Kukai.)
Much like Fukui’s Gotantoji Temple — which we’ve written about here — Mantokuji Temple’s ‘cat temple’ status comes from the half-dozen cats living there. The present head priest and his wife, Nakazawa Kensei and Miyako, had already been involved in trap-neuter-return (TNR) activities for stray community cats prior to taking over the temple in 2016, and starting a stray cat sanctuary here proved to be a natural extension of their activities.
In 2024, they installed two new statues: one depicting the bodhisattva Kannon (or as the temple refers to them, the Mimamori Kannon 見守り観音), and another depicting O-binzuru in the form of a cat. O-binzuru is the Japanese name for Pindola Bharadvaja, one of the four original Arhats in Buddhism. (Arhat: Essentially, one who has achieved nirvana.) Worshippers believe that stroking the parts of O-binzuru that correspond to parts of your body (or your cat’s body) with ailments will alleviate these problems.
Ibaraki
Ōsugi Shrine
Here’s another shrine with actual cats (yay) but little in the way of cat lore. Nicknamed ‘Anba-sama,’ Ōsugi Shrine in Inashiki City is often referred to as a shrine where dreams come true. (If we had 10 yen for every time we’ve heard this, we’d have… 220 yen. It’s not much, but it isn’t nothing either.) Its name means ‘Large Cedar Shrine’ and, you guessed it, comes from the large (sacred) cedar tree on the grounds.
As with many old shrines, its founding date is not entirely clear but is thought to have been in 767. The deities Ōkuninushi and Sukunabikona were enshrined here in 1241. Ōkuninushi is particularly associated with nation-building and agriculture, while Sukunabikona is the kami of hot springs, sake-brewing, healing, and agriculture, which automatically makes him one of the coolest kami around. Ōsugi Shrine was also worshipped for smallpox prevention during the Edo period — presumably less so now that we’re all vaccinated.
The cats do as they please, so there’s no guarantee you’ll necessarily spot them on your visit. But it seems that they tend to hang around the shrine office and around Kachiuma Shrine, a sub-shrine on the southeast part of the precincts, where people pray for luck in horse-racing. Pick up a cat-themed lucky amulet from the shop (or online) and don’t forget to check out the toilet.
Iwate
Nekogami statue at the former site of San’yo Shrine
As we’ve established in our cat shrines series so far, cats played a crucial role in sericulture during Edo period Japan and were deemed important enough to deify. Sericulture was widely carried out in the Hanaizumi area in Ichinoseki City until the early Showa period, and there was an entire shrine dedicated to such — San’yo Shrine, which was founded in the mid-Meiji period.
Unfortunately, San’yo Shrine was demolished in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake severely damaged the original building, its wooden cat sculptures, ink paintings, and other treasures moved to the Murata History Mirakan in neighbouring Miyagi Prefecture. What stands in its place now is a stone ‘nekogami’ (cat god) statue measuring approximately 90cm tall and one metre wide. There are claims that this is likely the largest cat statue of its kind, but these are difficult to verify.
The statue is located approximately 1.2 kilometres from JR Hanaizumi Station, near Hoshoji Temple.
Tōno Hachimangu Cat Shrine
The town of Tōno is widely considered Japan’s folklore capital, which seems fitting for a place with a cat shrine. This tiny cat shrine is a relatively new addition to Tono Hachimangu Shrine. Built in 2013, it enshrines former stray Torakichi — now Otora-sama — a tiger cat that spent its entire life hanging out around the precincts and delighting worshippers with its presence.
According to the shrine authorities, Torakichi would visit the shrine morning and evening, often guiding visitors from the shrine office to the main hall. It was the shrine’s fifth cat, and would usually eat the offerings made to Hachiman, the god of war enshrined there. It was last seen disappearing into Mount Hachiman on the evening of 3 September 2013 after visiting the main shrine.
Take note of the cat-themed goshuin (very cute ones featuring tiger cats) and the charming plaque at the top of the torii gate in front of the tiny shrine.
Kagawa
Usa Shrine
Not to be confused with its grander cousin, Usa Shrine in Oita Prefecture, Usa Shrine in Sanuki City is one of some 40,000-odd Shinto institutions dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war. Founded in 936, it is located in Kikaku Park, which is itself a beautiful spot for cherry blossoms and irises. The shrine counts a sword called Hebikirimaru among its treasures. According to an apocryphal story, the sword was supposedly used by the head priest during the Genroku era (between 1688-1704) to slay a giant snake that had wrapped itself around the shrine building.
Usa Shrine narrowly counts as a cat shrine thanks to a large stone statue of a cat holding a golden ball at the temple gates cheerfully beckoning passersby in; the cat is meant to bring good fortune and grant wishes. But in truth, little information exists about this statue, when it was erected, or why. We may have to visit one day to find out.
Kagoshima
Nekogami Shrine
Sengan-en is arguably the jewel of Kagoshima City. This sprawling Japanese-style landscape garden was once the 17th-century estate belonging to the Shimazu family, and was opened to the public in 1949. It is a joy to visit. One could spend hours meandering along its winding paths, stopping by small ponds, looking through the historical residences on its grounds, and admiring the borrowed landscape scenery of Sakurajima in the distance.
Built in 1602, Nekogami Shrine (Cat Deity Shrine; also referred to as Cat Shrine) is an unexpected little curiosity in Sengan-en, visually unremarkable save for the two ceramic cats flanking the small hokora (miniature Shinto shrine) past the torii gate. These two cats were part of a retinue of seven cats that accompanied Shimazu Yoshihiro on his journey from Kyushu to Korea in 1592 as part of the attempted invasion led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Why bring cats on a military campaign? Apparently — and this is to be taken with a generous pinch of salt — Yoshihiro was able to keep time with military precision by looking into the cats’ eyes. The pupils of their eyes would dilate and contract with the sun, “round at six, like an egg at eight and four, like a persimmon seed at ten and two, and a needle at midday.”
Unfortunately, only two cats survived the journey back to Kagoshima. In 1602, Yoshihiro had the cats deified and the shrine built as a symbol of their service and loyalty. Nekogami Shrine is popular today with cat lovers, but also attracts a smaller contingent of watch- and clockmakers. This group of worshippers gather on 10 June, which is ‘Time Day,’ to pay tribute to the time-keeping cats.
Written by Florentyna Leow