More than just another “Cat Island” - Ainoshima, Fukuoka

One of the many photogenic cats of Ainoshima

Ainoshima is one of Japan’s many famous “cat islands” – these are small islands that feature a large population of cats compared to the island’s size and population, and they have only grown in popularity over

the past years as images of these adorable island-dwelling cats have filled social media feeds (the Internet loves cats, after all).

Fukuoka's little cat heaven is in no way the most famous of these islands; with 500 residents and “only” 100 cats, it is seemingly unassuming. However, during my time in Fukuoka I became very interested in visiting it and its feline residents. I have been fortunate enough to have visited Japan a handful of times before, but I had never been to any of the popular cat islands, so it seemed a good a time as any.

Ainoshima Island is only a short ferry ride away from the mainland

Whilst reading about the island and the directions to it, I kept thinking to my self: what else was on this island? It is so easy for us to define destinations like these by nothing else but the one tourist-y experience they offer, and in turn neglect everything else. Therefore, I made sure to try and explore not only the cats of the island, but also the surrounding island community – the people, the nature, and the buildings.

During my short visit to Ainoshima I saw tiny temples and shrines, school kids getting the ferry back to the mainland after school, people making fishing equipment by hand, beautiful nature, and, of course, the adorable cats.

I hope these pictures manage to convey the spirit and vibe of Ainoshima. For any enquiries as to how to get there or other questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me a message!