There is one island got the nickname of “Cat Heaven Island.” This small island is inhabited by many cats which are mostly feral. Sleeping, chasing each other, walking, yawning… Visitors enjoy and take photos of relaxing cats.
The heart-shaped island in the southern Japan
"Ainoshima-Island" is located in Fukuoka prefecture where is a part of Kyushu, the third largest island of Japan located in the south. It is 17 minutes by ferry from Fukuoka port and 1.25 sq. km (0.48 sq. mi) in size. About 500 people live on the island with hundreds of cats.
Cat, cat, cat and more cats!
Once you arrive the island, you soon realize cats are everywhere. The Ainoshima-Island was famous for fishing spots, but after the island was introduced by the oversea tv show the more people today come and see adorable cats. 5 to 6 ferries a day depart for Ainoshima-Island and its easy access helps.
Good size for one day trip
Besides cats and fishing, there are more interesting sights. The coastline is about 7.5 km (4.6 mi) and the sidewalk runs around the island. It is about two hours to walk around and the beautiful horizon and the historical sights welcome visitors. In addition, because the main industry here is fishing so the fresh fish meal is available too. There are some restaurants and Ryokans which is a Japanese style inn.
How to visit?
From Tokyo, first take an airplane to Fukuoka Airport for 2 hours. Then take either metro or shuttle bus to Hakata Station where is the main train station in Fukuoka. Transfer to the JR Kagoshima Main Line and get off at Fukkodaimae Station for 15 minutes. There is a local bus and it takes you to Shingu Port for 15 minutes where ferries depart to Ainoshima-Island.
