Ainoshima

Ainoshima (あいのしま) in Fukuoka Prefecture is a small island known for its cats, about a 17-minute ferry ride from Shingū Port. It is said that around 200 cats live on the island, which is why it is also called “Cat Island.”

And 2/22 is also called Cat Day because its pronunciation sounds a lot like a cat’s meow (にゃにゃにゃ)[^1]

That day happened to be very windy, and the boat rocked a lot. I got seasick immediately. I’ve always been prone to motion sickness since I was a kid, so rides like roller coasters or pirate ships at amusement parks were never thrilling to me—they were just painful. The only thing I could really enjoy was bumper cars.

The cats on Ainoshima are very friendly and wait at the harbor for visitors to get off the boat. Whenever they see someone who wants to pet them, they rush over for attention, and once that person loses interest, they quietly look for the next person to pet them.

Some cats even jumped straight onto my lap and went to sleep the first time we met.

This is a great place to visit in spring. In winter, the sea breeze is strong so it gets very cold, and in summer, the sun is too intense. The island itself is quite small, and you can probably walk around it in about an hour. The rest of the area is harder to reach because there are no cars.

If you visit Ainoshima, be sure to stop by the cafeteria and have a set meal 🍽️. The fish here is very fresh, and the prices are relatively cheap too. It would not be an exaggeration to come to this island just for the fresh fish.

If you sit on a bench by the harbor, the cats will keep you company while you watch the sunset. I don’t quite know how to describe this feeling, but in an era of such rapid AI change, quietly fishing and playing with the cats beside you feels pretty nice.