Globe-trotting wildlife photographer and filmmaker, Iwago Mitsuaki, offers the best of a vast collection of cat footage he took in Japan. On this unique trip around the country, discover the lesser-known charms and customs of regions through the eyes of cats!
We meet cats whose owner grows plants used to make cloth in a traditional way. Another cat, Lock, lives at a temple. He takes part in sutra reading and is practically the chief priest's assistant!
Cats live near three torii gates in the sea. The beach changes at low tide. We also meet a cat who lives in a pottery production area. She's allowed in all the shops and even inspects the merchandise.
Furano is full of vast wheat fields. For a local farmer's cat, it's the perfect place to hunt or go for a run. We meet two cats who live at an inn and love to play on the exposed hot water pipes.
A cat patrols Ogaki Castle and has a special place where he cools off on hot days. In Magome-juku, a 400-year-old post town, two cats live at a souvenir store. We capture an unexpected interaction!
Yushima is a cat island only four kilometers around. Hungry cats gather at the port for fresh fish, including a talkative kitten. A cat lives at the local school and watches over the eight students.
We meet Kiiro, a cat who draws admirers whenever he goes out for a stroll. Children and adults alike gather to scratch his head. We also visit a beauty salon where a cat provides customer service!
Three energetic kittens love playing on the roof of a building by sliding down the slope and pouncing on dead leaves. In a seaside town, a cat named Kinako leads us to a beautiful scenic spot.
Mack the cat lives among vast fields with two Akita dogs. They're friends and always make up after a spat. Meanwhile, a mother cat and her son love their owner but are quick to fight with each other.
Castle ruins are a local cat's favorite spot for a stroll, though he somehow gets a stick caught in his collar. Meanwhile, a cat and dog living in a bookstore go to sleep as soon as the store opens.
A wood carving workshop makes decorations for festival floats. It's also home to Leo, a cat who spends his days with the artisans. Another cat, Konatsu, lives in an old house with a tea master.
Photographer Iwago Mitsuaki reunites with cats from his past! He meets Kurobe, a temple cat, for the first time in six years. He then visits a seaside town to see Ponzu for the first time in twelve.
Saburo the cat lives in a lovely vineyard, but her rival Shiroo is nearby. Can they get along? Meanwhile, another cat lives peacefully in a workshop that makes and repairs Buddhist statues.
We head to Yashima, where the local boss cat leads us to a temple along the Shikoku Pilgrimage. The temple grounds are home to cats that nap, play, and greet pilgrims and other visitors.
Two herb farmers' cats live next door to each other. Their relationship is tense due to a past fight. At Takeya Kannonji Temple, the chief priest lives with four cats that always stay by his side.
We spend a day with the cats of Shinjuku Golden-Gai, a retro bar district in Tokyo. One cat goes on a quiet morning patrol. At night, customers visit a bar where they can drink with two cats.
Cats show off their climbing skills at a spot overlooking the sea. On the island of Mushima, we meet a cat who takes us to a field of daffodils. The cats tease Iwago by hiding among the flowers.
We visit Japan's largest and oldest lake, Lake Biwa. A cat leads us to an overlook with a great view of the lake. We meet another cat hiding among the multitude of wares at a Shigaraki ceramics shop.
We take in Japan's tallest mountain, Mt. Fuji, and meet some cats on the way. A cat named Bond carries out top-secret missions at a peach orchard. Another cat patrols its home—a 100-year-old winery.
Tokushima has long been famed for its indigo. We visit an indigo-dyeing workshop and meet their mascot, Natsu. Next, we make a wish at a shrine that's popular with cats and cat lovers alike.
We meet a cat who fearlessly patrols crocodile enclosures heated by onsen steam. At a shopping arcade, we encounter early rising cats and a tengu statue. We even meet cats who enjoy billiards!
Todaiji Temple is a World Heritage Site. We encounter cats—and also deer—who live at the temple. One cat keeps an eye on his owner's pickle shop. Another cat enjoys listening to flute music.
Cats show off their climbing skills at a spot overlooking the sea. On the island of Mushima, we meet a cat who takes us to a field of daffodils. The cats tease Iwago by hiding among the flowers.
A cat patrols the rice fields, but there's always time for a midday nap. At a vineyard, we get a tour from a cat named Pinot Noir! He's popular with visitors but always plays it cool.
Chichibu is a mountainous region with lots of natural beauty. Cats keep watch over a field of red spider lilies and even guide visitors through the mountains! We also meet a cat who lives at a shrine.
A local cat guides us to a fairy tale palace-or rather, a shrine that looks like the palace! Together with Iwago, we visit scenic spots, including a tea farm that's patrolled by an early-rising cat.
A cat takes a nap among the fragrant flowers at a farm that grows sweet pea flowers. Another cat takes a nap at an archery range! We meet more local cats as residents celebrate a unique tradition.
Mama cat Koyuki lives at a pottery workshop and is raising two playful kittens. Taisho, who lives at a fruit shop, keeps an eye on the shopping arcade. Both cats love resting on their owner's laps!
Chibita is a friendly cat who lives at a souvenir shop near Chusonji Temple, a World Heritage Site. Popo lives at a horseback riding club with 20 horses! At a rose garden, we meet handsome Kikujiro.
Sanagijima Island is home to lots of free-roaming cats. Kuji rests on some cool shrine steps. Other cats hang out close to the sea, carefully making their way along a seawall. What are they doing?
Ricky was born in an apple orchard. It's a perfect playground for mischievous kittens! Peh spends the autumn in golden rice fields, hiding and hunting grasshoppers. Watch out for his pounce!
Kuro fearlessly patrols the rugged and rocky Tojinbo Cliffs and the nearby shopping street. Quu lives at a lacquerware workshop. She makes her owner's legs fall asleep when she sits on his lap!
The seaside town of Hakodate has long flourished as a port. One savvy cat waits by a fisherman, hoping he'll share his catch! We meet more local cats at a fish market and a historic graveyard.
Karuizawa is cool even in summer, making it a popular resort town. We meet local cats at a fashionable home goods shop and a restaurant in a remodeled folk home. They're sure to bring in customers!
We visit a cat at a serene temple garden with a 500-year history. Then, we encounter cats with artisan owners, including a knitting expert and a man who hand carves shogi (Japanese chess) pieces.
At a temple once believed to have been home to a dragon, we meet 20 playful cats. They show off their favorite spots and play together. Next, we visit Tokoname and meet a real-life beckoning cat!
A cat hangs out with her owners, a family of surfers who run a beach café. This cool cat gets along with her family's dog, too! Next, we meet a shy cat at a surfboard and skateboard shop.
Visit Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, the setting of several Japanese myths, to meet a mischievous kitty living on a farm near Hii River. Then head to a pottery factory to see a blue-eyed cat hard at work.
Follow a kitty around a World Heritage Site! At a 125-year-old sake brewery, a patrol kitty makes his rounds before relaxing in the adjacent garden next to a lovely fresh water pond.
Visit two cat islands in Japan's Seto Inland Sea. The kitties on Ao Island outnumber humans. Watch them catch fish on the rocks! Join more kitties on Ogi Island for some sun time on a roof.
What's it like living with cats in rice-producing Niigata Prefecture? See kitty beds made of straw from beautiful green rice paddies, and enjoy snacks with another kitty at a candy shop.
Enjoy the coming of spring in northern Hokkaido Prefecture with happy kitties. Visit an art gallery occupied by 11 cats, and do some evening yoga with a kitty at a lodge.
Stroll around a World Heritage Site with an island kitty. Then, get your favorite saying written on a lucky rice scoop before playing with kitties in the historical town of Takehara.
Kitties are always fighting in an otherwise quiet ally in downtown Osaka. You can even spar a brave kitty at a local boxing gym!
Kitties work year-round to keep tiger pufferfish from being snatched up by hungry herons! Myojin Pond is a famous place to see kitties—we dare you not to laugh at the kitty napping inside the shrine!
Enjoy a warm kitty-welcome at the famous hot spring area! After visiting a popular cat duo at a ropeway station, stop by at a restaurant run by a kitty and its owner where you can also bathe.
Kitties love hanging out by the seaside in Ehime Prefecture's pleasant, warm climate. See a kitty making rounds at an orange farm before finding some beautiful autumn foliage with the help of a kitty-guide.
Kitty finds an intruder at a contemporary art museum—will we have a winner? Join another kitty at a traditional crafts workshop lovingly watching its owner's craftsmanship.
Kitties thrive at this town! Enjoy cruising on a boat with a vice-captain kitty, and join a sake shop kitty who loves to go on walks. Wooden cat sculptures are spread across town—can you spot them?
Discover the nature-rich side of Tokyo. Kitties favorite spots include: a small shrine in a forest, a box bed at a horseback riding club, and the top of their owners beloved cars!
Visit the southern island paradise, Taketomi Island, where kitties enjoy climbing great heights! How will they get home once the tide comes in?!
One kitty waits near a fisherman for a treat while another helps radish farmers keep pests out of their fields. Get top-notch kitty customer service at a pet fish shop!
Patrol a pearl farm with a kitty named Pisuke, then meet a pearl shop cat that's got a special talent! Seeing happy kitties enjoy fresh seafood will warm your heart!
In the Western-influenced port town of Kobe, a kitty seeks attention while its owner makes shoes at a custom shop. You'll meet a popular shopping district kitty that has its own designer T-shirt!
In Tokyo's romantic Kagurazaka district, watch Noh rehearsals with a kitty named Torakichi. Then, follow an alley cat to a popular coffee shop before enjoying geisha shamisen performances after dark.
On a hot summer's day, a kitty leads us to traditional food near a local shrine. Get cool in a maiko's home with another kitty before enjoying sparklers at night.
Amakusa is home to many islands of all sizes. See a kitty get fed fish on an island of 230 cats. Then, visit Sakitsu Church—a UNESCO and kitty site—before heading to a local sushi shop.
On a historical street in Kawagoe, join a kitty for breakfast in front of a ramen restaurant. Also see hospitable kitties hard at work greeting tourists at local shops!
See a kitty hard at work guarding a local specialty, dried bonito! Visit a restaurant that uses the ingredient in its curries, then head to the coast with kitty BFFs.
Our first kitty-guided tour is of the scenic Lake Kussharo. Another kitty guides us around sacred spots within a village of the indigenous Ainu people.
Kyoto Prefecture offers amazing seasonal views. Visit different temples to enjoy autumn colors on a morning walk with a black cat and his beloved priest, see a rare calico cat, and watch an avid tree climber!
Mt. Iwaki in Aomori Prefecture overlooks an apple orchard where five kitties are born in spring. By summer, they've grown big and strong! Pay them a visit and attend the area's special summer festival!
Tokyo is home to many lucky cats called Maneki-neko! Get your kitty fix at a public bath, a lantern shop and a classical theater. Then, meet them after hours in Shinjuku's Golden Gai bar district!
At the foot of the sacred Mt. Fuji, have breakfast with dairy farm kitties, fish with hungry kitties at a port, and dance at a unique summer festival held by a temple dedicated to cats.
A sacred island with an emerald sea and tropical trees is pure kitty heaven. Scale a wall with rare white kitties, and relax to the sounds of traditional Okinawan music with a black kitty.
Snow piles up in winter along the Sea of Japan. Visit a morning seafood market, play in the snow, admire traditional lacquerware, and enjoy warm mochi rice cake with cute kitties.
Visit the Sanuki region to try a local delicacy loved by cats. Watch a kitty's owner make traditional roof tiles, and stroll around a famous shrine with another kitty.
Visit the city known for its giant Buddha statue to watch a kitty play in the Meigetsu-in Temple garden, then have a nap with kittens on a priest's cushion at another temple along a train line.
Along Japan's famous, clear river, cute kitties are living their best lives. Join one kitty on a unique bridge leading to his canoe shop, and take in a lovely sunset with the other cuties.
Visit Japan's popular summer getaway to join a church kitty on his morning stroll through the woods, watch a kitty help make souvenir candles, and play with another in a guest house garden.
On a pilgrimage down sacred trails, follow a kitty through a majestic forest. Meet a hunting master at a 1,300-year-old temple, and wait patiently for homemade bread at a seaside café.
Near Aizu's symbolic Tsuruga Castle, visit a kitty at an old post station, and feast with another at a quaint Aizu lacquerware shop. One more kitty awaits your offering at a 1,400-year-old temple.
Active volcanos bless Kagoshima Prefecture with natural hot springs. Visit a boss cat near an "ashiyu" foot bath, help kitties guard a brewery, and relax with a bath house kitty.
A black kitty sits at a picturesque spot near the beach. Two other kitties are busy greeting people at an old train station, but they always find time to play with the station staff.
Head to the famous Todai-ji Temple before visiting a nun's kitty at the 1,300-year-old Chugu-ji Temple. Visit a Japanese washi paper factory and a plum tree grove for more kitty fun.
Kitties enjoy a Western atmosphere in a port town that's prospered for centuries. Meanwhile, mommies are busy raising rambunctious kittens while another kitty gets spoiled by sea urchin fishers.
A famous pottery town makes cat figurines, but there are real kitties too! Head to Nagoya to visit a coffee shop kitty, then to a mountain town to check out traditional dolls with another cat.
Take in a view of "the Mt. Fuji of Iwate" with a farmer and her kitty, and visit an egg-loving mamma cat that's busy raising kittens in a repurposed traditional home.
Meet kittles in an alleyway in hilly Nagasaki Prefecture, see a white kitty relax and hunt around Peace Park, and enjoy kitty heaven at Unzen Jigoku hot springs before the noisy humans arrive.
See the famous Sleeping Cat carving at Tosho-gu Shrine. A painter's kitty has a special talent! Watch a scaredy cat creep around at another lovely shrine.
Yamagata—Japan's major fruit producer. Visit a kitty at a La France pear orchard, and a boss kitty that oversees the production of traditional wooden Kokeshi dolls.
Fukuoka has several small "cat islands." A kitty turf war escalates on Hime Island, but ferry passengers are met with kindness! At a fish market, a shop kitty knows not to touch what's for sale.
Visit kitties and their favorite spots. Relax in an old hot spring tied to a folk character, hide in a limestone cave formed by volcanic activity, and take in the natural surroundings on a plateau.
Kitties in Ibaraki Prefecture know how to have fun. Admire incoming paragliders with one, meet another that's unfazed by swinging golf clubs, and play ball with a territorial kitty.
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