Japan names Yontama the 3rd cat stationmaster at Kishi Station
A calico cat named Yontama has been officially appointed the third feline stationmaster of Kishi Station on Japan’s Wakayama Electric Railway Kishigawa Line, continuing a nearly 20-year tradition that has boosted tourism and supported the local railway.
At a ceremony in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, railway president Mitsunobu Kojima placed a medal around Yontama’s neck, drawing applause from attendees. The railway also introduced its newest feline apprentice, Rokutama, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Yontama succeeds Nitama, another calico cat who passed away in November and has since been named honorary stationmaster. The tradition began in 2007 with Tama, the first cat stationmaster, whose appointment drew nationwide attention and inspired other Japanese railways to name cats, dogs, rabbits, and other animals as symbolic stationmasters.
Railway officials hope Yontama will help attract visitors and guide the station during a period of major changes for local railways, blending charm and tourism with community support.
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