Japan's public transportation system stands as a shining example of efficiency, especially when compared to that of the United States. Not only do they boast an impressive network of high-speed trains, but they also feature some truly unique and adorable stationmasters: cats! One particularly renowned cat stationmaster, Tama, served at Kishi Station until her passing in 2015. However, her spirit lives on as Kishi Station recently welcomed its third feline stationmaster, Yontama, who has just been appointed to this charming role, as reported by Japan News.
Kishi Station is situated on the southern coast of Japan’s main island, just south of Osaka in Wakayama Prefecture. This station was at risk of closing in the mid-2000s due to dwindling passenger numbers. By 2006, the only employee left at Kishi Station was none other than Tama, the beloved calico cat who took on the responsibilities of stationmaster. Thanks to her immense popularity, Tama not only revived interest in the station but also played a pivotal role in its complete renovation in 2010, with a new design inspired by her likeness.
In the lineage of Kishi Station’s feline leaders, after Tama passed away in 2015, she was honored with an even more prestigious title, being elevated to the status of a local Shinto deity. Her successor, Nitama (also referred to as Tama Four), was officially named to take over her stationmaster duties. You might be curious about Tama Three; she was actually sent to Okayama for "training," but the station there loved her so much that they decided to keep her! Interestingly, her name, Sun-tama-tama, is a playful pun that doesn’t quite translate into English.
When Yontama isn’t on duty, her junior colleagues, Gotama (Tama Five) and Rokutama (Tama Six), step in to help out. Both of these younger cats also have roles at Idakiso Station, which is located a few miles from Kishi, where Yontama previously worked before her promotion. It raises an interesting thought: wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had station cats like Tama and Yontama in the United States? Imagine how much brighter our train stations could be with adorable cats welcoming travelers. It’s high time we brought high-speed rail to America so we can enjoy the charm of feline stationmasters. Just picture the joy they would bring to our daily commutes!
