Stationmaster Cat Draws Tourists

Acat named Tama was officially named stationmaster at an unmanned station in Wakayama Prefecture. Tama won nationwide popularity with the publication of a book of photos featuring her and intensive media coverage after she was appointed in 2007 as stationmaster of the unmanned station on Wakayama Electric Railway’s Kishigawa Line, which runs between cities of Wakayama and Kinokawa. As a result, the number of passengers using the Kishigawa Line increased dramatically. The railway company recognized the “efforts” of the 8-year-old cat and promoted the cat to division chief-level in January. The company also expressed its appreciation of the cat’s role in drumming up business by transforming a ticket window into the stationmaster’s office. In her 1.8-square-meter office equipped with a ventilation fan and a toilet, Tama looked relaxed and satisfied.
Tags: cat draws stationmaster tourists